Time, yes he is a talmid.
HaLevi, the question is on what level is it true. The Maharal(Ber Hagolah 6) says that they are referring to the spiritual world and not the physical world. Indeed, it is very difficult to think that Ravina and Rav Ashi put scientific statements into the Gemara, which is a Torah work and not a scientific work. It could very well be that the spiritual counterpart of a physical phenomenon behaves differently. It could also be that a legal definition differs from a scientific definition. Thus putting food into water a keli sheini does not cook it halachically even if it does cook it chemically.