The word "theory" has a number of distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on the context and their methodologies. In common usage, people use the word "theory" to signify "conjecture", "speculation", or "opinion." In this sense, "theories" are opposed to "facts" — parts of the world, or claims about the world, that are real or true regardless of what people think.

In science, a theory is a proposed description, explanation, or model of the manner of interaction of a set of natural phenomena, capable of predicting future occurrences or observations of the same kind, and capable of being tested through experiment or otherwise falsified through empirical observation. It follows from this that for scientists "theory" and "fact" do not necessarily stand in opposition. For example, it is a fact that an apple dropped on earth has been observed to fall towards the center of the planet, and the theory which explains why the apple behaves so is the current theory of gravitation.

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NYT > Technology

Amid the Gloom, an E-Commerce War
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 17:00:16 -0000
Seven years ago, eBay was an online juggernaut and Amazon.com its weaker rival. How times have changed.
Overfeeding on Information
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:27:21 -0000
It's hard not to watch the news, with the financial markets in meltdown and the presidential campaign entering the homestretch. But how much is too much?
Novelties: Keeping Your Own Health Chart, Online
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:42:25 -0000
New tools are being developed that may help harried patients monitor their medications, home tests and other details.
Verizon Wireless Plans to Charge Companies Sending Text Messages
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:53:14 -0000
Verizon told companies that send out text messages that starting Nov. 1 it will impose a fee of 3 cents for each message it delivers to the phones of its subscribers.
YouTube to Offer TV Shows With Ads Strewn Through
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 05:16:28 -0000
YouTube said it would start offering full-length episodes of some television shows on its sprawling Web site.
Memory Maker Reduces Work Force
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:38:00 -0000
Falling prices for the flash memory used in a wide range of consumer electronics have forced Micron Technology to shut down most of a factory it shares with Intel and lay off close to 3,000 workers.

NerdTV | PBS

NerdTV #13: Judy Estrin
Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:00:00 -0700
Judy Estrin's career ranges from founder of Bridge Communications to CTO of Cisco to running Packet Design LLC. Quite the girl geek, eh?Download video:Entire Show:MPEG-4 | TorrentNerdy Bit:MPEG-4 | TorrentJuicy Bit:MPEG-4 | TorrentDownload subtitled video:Entire Show:With Subtitles | Torrent w/ SubtitlesNerdy Bit:With Subtitles | Torrent w/ SubtitlesJuicy Bit:With Subtitles | Torrent w/ SubtitlesDownload audio:Entire Show:MP3 | TorrentAAC | TorrentOgg Vorbis | Torrent
NerdTV #13: Judy Estrin - Transcript
Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:00:00 -0700
For those who would rather read than watch or listen.
NerdTV Archives
Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:00:00 -0700
Miss a past show? Check out our archives.Past guests include:#12: Bob KahnInventor of TCP/IP.#11: Doug EngelbartComputer mouse inventor.#10: Dan BricklinInventor of the Spreadsheet#9: AninaHigh Fashion Meets High Tech#8: Avram MillerCo-founder of Intel Capital#7: Dan DrakeCo-founder of Autodesk#6: Dave WinerFather of RSS and Web Logging#5: Tim O'ReillyOpen Source pioneer#4: Brewster KahleInternet Archive founder#3: Bill JoyCo-founder of Sun#2: Max LevchinCo-founder of PayPal#1: Andy HertzfeldThe first Macintosh programmer...ever

Reuters: Technology News

Step-on scanner lets air passengers keep shoes on
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:38:43 -0400
LOD, Israel (Reuters) - Israel has introduced a step-on scanner that spares airline travelers the nuisance of having to remove their shoes so they can be X-rayed for hidden weapons, though the new device cannot yet sniff out explosives.
Google founder Brin visits Russian space cosmodrome
Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:21:54 -0400
BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (Reuters) - Google co-founder Sergey Brin, considering going into space on a private flight, made a surprise visit to Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome on Saturday to wish good luck to a fellow space tourist.
Visit China's Forbidden City -- as a virtual eunuch
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:28:24 -0400
BEIJING (Reuters) - Culture fans thousands of miles from Beijing can now visit its famous Forbidden City, through a three dimensional recreation of the vast palace that also allows them to dress up as an imperial eunuch and meet a courtesan.

AP Top Technology News At 7:11 p.m. EDT

Kenya's elephants send text messages to rangers
By KATHARINE HOURELD Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:10:50 -0000
OL PEJETA, Kenya (AP) -- The text message from the elephant flashed across Richard Lesowapir's screen: Kimani was heading for neighboring farms....
Flexible OLEDs could be part of lighting's future
By PETER SVENSSON Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:39:15 -0000
NISKAYUNA, N.Y. (AP) -- On a bank of the Mohawk River, a windowless industrial building of corrugated steel hides something that could make floor lamps, bedside lamps, wall sconces and nearly every other household lamp obsolete....
Sony seeks to harmonize music, electronics
By RYAN NAKASHIMA Fri, 10 Oct 2008 21:38:01 -0000
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Now that Sony Corp. and Bertelsmann AG have broken off their troubled relationship, known as Sony BMG, the Japanese company hopes to harmonize its consumer electronics and its music, a duo that was badly out of sync....

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