Vacuum Tube Computing
How did computers go from filling entire rooms to fitting in your hand? In this episode of Science LIVE, Dr. Roger Billings and the Protégés explore vacuum tube computing and the technology that launched the digital age. Hear stories about early machines, the Billings Computer, and floppy disks as Dr. Billings shares his firsthand experiences helping shape modern computing.
About DrB
Dr. Roger Billings is a visionary innovator whose work has touched the lives of millions of students and transformed the landscape of education. Widely known as “DrB” to the countless kids who benefit from his groundbreaking Acellus learning system, Dr. Billings has dedicated his life to advancing education through technology.
As part of DrB’s lifelong commitment to supporting education, Science LIVE was launched as a way to “give back” by mentoring students in conjunction with the Roger Billings Scholarship Program.
Read more about DrB »
About the Roger Billings Scholarship Program »
this was such an interesting episode
i love watching these to learn about new impactful facts. especially rewatching at night.
Old computers look weird my mom is 40 she used all ones with floppy disc she says
These make learning new things so much more fun!
AI is insane!!
What a fascinating episode. Amazing how Computing has evolved. Technology is exciting!
AI is getting super advanced and quickly
These videos help learn a lot.
Vacume tubing is great I love all your guys video
It was amazing how determined they were to get a rocket into space safely.
Incredibly useful!!!
Using old computers would be crazy experience.
Its pretty intresing on how far we have come from the older computers, to what computers that we have now . How good AI is and having the use of AI.
This was so unique! Love this one!
Love love love this live!
I love these videos
This was so interesting!
Glad I was born after all these inventions
Astronauts are so brave!
its crazy how ai is taking over computers
Glad I went back and rewatched this episode.
such a cool video
Ai is so crazy! Sucks that it damaging our environment and using so much water
I like how I learn new things every time I watch these
i love learning new things
I think it’s amazing how much we’re doing with AI and robots.
Loved this
Catching up on the videos I’ve missed these are great lives keep it up!
I don’t really like ai
What an amazing episode!
Interesting to hear that each little part is important and part of the whole picture – reminds me of how the captains on Star Trek learn all the parts of the ship!
Crazy how much technology has changed
This live was very interesting and I learned a lot of new stuff
Wow all those people to carry the compute is crazy technology has evolved so much
i couldnt imagine doing my every day school without my computer
I loved science live this was great
Can’t wait for the next episode!
Wow this episode was great
I liked this episode and the part where they had to figure out how to get spaceships to go to the moon with a computer that was so much smaller than what they had before.
I would love to attend IST someday and learn how to produce videos!
My mom used floppy disks.
This science live is so interesting. thanks for making these videos
Hello from iowa
Crazy how vacuum tube computers were the first generation of electronics. In 1940-1950.
science live is the best
i like learning stuff from here
Science live is awesome
How long did it take Margaret Hamilton’s team to write all that coding. How many people did they have working to create the calculater computer.
how exactly does storing hydrogen aid in the creation of fuel cells?
This is such a great program!!
Cool science live today.
i did not know about vacum tube computing untill this expanded my knolege
I loved learning about vacuum tube computing.
Wow! Computers have changed so much!
so much to learn!
Always love coming here!!
can you tell us more about Vacuum Tube Computing
It’s wild hearing how much heat and space those early machines needed just to do what we take for granted now. Really puts the whole “fits in your hand” part into perspective.
It’s amazing how over time and technology advancements that they can literally put a tv in your hand. Imagine what it will be like in 10 years from now.
This video was one of my favorite videos I love learning about hydration and how to store it.
I love learning with Acellus!
Love science live.
computers are our lives now. would not be able to live back then without them.
Happy Tuesday! Enjoying these videos. 🙂
I’ve never used a floppy disk 🙃
Its so cool seeing how far we’ve came with technology and how it developed through out years of experimenting!
Cool! I never realized the direction a rocket actually launches in, which isn’t straight up, until last Friday. It’s crazy!
This was a fun episode!
Crazy to see how much computers have improved!
Here for the vacuum tube computing episode
So amazing, always fun to watch Science Live.
Hey, looking forward to tonight show!
Hi Isaiah rivera here from Dallas TX🇨🇱🇨🇱🇨🇱
making that in the kitchen is awesome
Science is cool
The old computers were so big compared to todays
this is so cool!
Love from Texas!
This is super!
I like this one
It’s amazing how far technology has advanced!
vacuum tube computing was fun to learn about
At Acellus world is there classes to go to?
AI has improved so much!
I love science!!!!
I love learning new things from science live!!!!
These are so fun to watch.
They are putting ai data centers into space to make them more energy efficient and cooling efficient.
This episode was top-tier. I never really thought about the ‘stories’ behind the tech I use every day. It’s crazy that Dr. Billings was actually there for the start of all this with the Billings Computer. It makes me wonder what we’re going to be using in 40 years that fits in our hands today
How were computers made.
The weaving of the computer wires was really neat. I didn’t expect that!
I’m excited about the contest!
How dose a computer communicate in one’s and zeros and it comes out as real words and information
Old technology is so interesting
Learned a lot new things with this one!!!
I love Science Live!
so cool to watch
Science live is so cool 🫶
It’s insane how much the world has changed. The other day my parents told me how phones used to look like bricks. 🤣
Great question! How DID they get so small? ??
Wild how now we have AI
i learned that computers were just people doing math before computers were made
I love science!!!
This was AMAZING!
Science is my favorite
Learning new things every week!
Intresting to learn about.
Second time watching this for real.. love it!
It’s crazy how much energy uses a lot of water and energy
Super neat to watch!
Why was there is the computers program with 1’s and 0’s?
I love learning about space and the moon!
I enjoy tuning into science live
Thank you so much!
Thank you for your contribution, Dr. B!
The science live are so interesting!
I enjoy learning new things about technology.
Everything we have is thanks to science. We live in a wonderful time of technology, and that’s great.
It’s so amazing to see the advances in computer technology.
Hello from Indiana
2nd time watching.. Love these lives!
learning new things was great the video was amazing
I love science live!
computers have evolved so much!
Was fantastic to learn that heat was an issue for early vacuum tubing.
Guys r 51 is dr Roger Billings
This was awesome!
it’s so cool how technology evolves
Computers and technology have changed so much through the years. It’s so awesome to see our improvements!
Science is number 1!!