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

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.
Math Skills Suffer in U.S., Study Finds
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:49:27 -0000
While the study suggests many girls have exceptional talent in math, they are rarely identified in the U.S., because culture discourages girls — and boys — from excelling.
Skin Deep: The Sum of Your Facial Parts
Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:13:04 -0000
A computer model can come up with the ideal you, but you may prefer your “before” image.
Green Inc.: Hopes for Offshore Wind in Texas
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:08:37 -0000
As the race to develop offshore wind energy is heating up in the Northeast, things have hit a few speed bumps in Texas.

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

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.
Google founder Brin visits Russian space cosmodrome
Sat, 11 Oct 2008 12:27:45 -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.
FCC likely to recommend unlicensed spectrum use
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:28:48 -0400
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A battle between tech companies like Google Inc and broadcasters over use of soon-to-be vacant airwaves will heat up soon as U.S. regulators release an anticipated report on the issue.

AP Top Technology News At 11:44 a.m. EDT

Kenya's elephants send text messages to rangers
By KATHARINE HOURELD Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:43:25 -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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