An example of an analogy used by a scientist
"If a supreme intelligence knew all the mysterious explanations linking all phenomena in the universe, there would be one single science instead of many different sciences. The frontiers that appear to separate field of learning, the formal scaffolding of our classification scheme, the artificial division of things to please our intellects – which can only view reality in stages and by facets – would disappear completely in the eyes of such an individual. Total science would appear as a giant tree, whose branches represent the individual sciences and whose trunk represents the principle or principles upon which they are founded. The specialist works like a caterpillar perched on a leaf, cherishing the illusion that his little world flutters isolated in space. Endowed with a philosophical sense, the generalist sees – however imperfectly – the stem that is common to many branches. But only the genius alluded to above would enjoy the good fortune and power to see the entire tree, science, unitary despite its many specialisations."
Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1999). Advice for a Young Investigator. The MIT Press. (Translation of 4th Spanish Edition, 1916)
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.
