An example of the use of simile, metaphor and analogy in popular science writing:
"Normally the [Bose-Einstein] condensate would be totally opaque, but the first laser creates a sort of ladder through the condensate that the second light beam can claw its way along – at vastly reduced speeds."
"The intention is to pull photons into spinning vortices in a Bose-Einstein condensate, hoping that the light will be dragged into the churning matter like a car sucked into a tornado. If these frigid whirlpools can be spun fast enough, they will become microscopic optical black holes, clawing in light and never letting go until the vortex loses its momentum
…Hau's first experiments used one laser to form a sort of ladder through the otherwise opaque Bose-Einstein condensate that allowed a second laser to claw its way through. But if that first laser, called the coupling laser, is gradually decreased in power, the team found the second beam was swallowed up in the material."
Brian Clegg
Clegg, B. (2015). Light Years. The extraordinary story of mankind' fascination with light. Icon.
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