An example of metaphor and anthropomorphism in writing about science:
"Once the basic shape of the embryonic crystal has been determined by migration of molecules on its surfaces, the vapour field around the crystal takes notice and orients itself to conform to the crystal geometry and tends to maintain it."
Prof. B. J. Mason
Mason, B. J. (1966). On the shapes of snow crystals. A commentary on Kepler's essay 'On the Six-Cornered snowflake'. In A New Year's Gift. Or, on the six-cornered snowflake (pp. 47-56). Oxford University Press.
The reference to migration of molecules might be seen as a dead metaphor. Migration orignally referred to movement of people, and later animals – but much later also become used to refer to movementsof ions or molecules (OED).