An example of an analogy used in popular science writing:
"In respect to nuclear energy we live (or rather lived until quite recently) in a world similar to that of an Eskimo dwelling in a subfreezing temperature for whom the only solid is ice and the only liquid alcohol. Such an [hypothetical] Eskimo would never have heard about fire, since one cannot get fire by rubbing two pieces of ice against each other, and would consider alcohol as nothing but a pleasant drink*, since he would have no way of raising its temperature to the boiling point.
And the great perplexity of humanity caused by the recently discovered process of liberating on a large scale the energy hidden in the interior of the atom can be compared to the astonishment of pour imaginary Eskimo when shown an ordinary alcohol burner for the first time."
George Gamow (1961) One, Two, Three…Infinity. Facts and speculations of science, Revised Edition, Dover Publications, Inc., New York.
Read examples of scientific analogies
Many examples of science analogies are listed in 'Creative comparisons: Making science familiar through language. An illustrative catalogue of figurative comparisons and analogies for science concepts'. Free Download.
* Note: it is unlikely anyone drinking pure alcohol would find it a 'pleasant drink' as ethanol will 'burn' the mouth and throat if not diluted by sufficient water. (Even Vodka is mostly water.)
