An example of an analogy used to explain a scientific idea:
"…the Pauli exclusion principle is obeyed only by fermions. It turns out that bosons (such as photons) can all crowd into the same quantum state. This important distinction between fermions and bosons can be likened to two different theatre audiences. One, full of well-behaved opera-goers, consists of people each sitting in their own numbered seat; the other, a collection of enthusiastic rock fans, ignores the seats and crowds to the front of the stage, jammed together in the same 'state'. Fermions are opera-lovers, bosons are rock fans."
John Gribbin (1996) Companion to the Cosmos. (Ed., Mary Gribbin) Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
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.
