Scientific Metaphors Vocabulary

a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions

“The iPhone represented a paradigm shift in mobile computing.”

Origin: Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 1962

a sudden, dramatic advance (note: scientifically, it's tiny)

“A quantum leap in understanding—though physicists would note the irony.”

Origin: From quantum physics: electrons jumping between energy states

the minimum amount needed to trigger significant change

“The movement reached critical mass and couldn't be stopped.”

Origin: Nuclear physics: minimum fissile material for chain reaction

the moment when small changes trigger large, often irreversible effects

“We've passed the tipping point on climate.”

Origin: From systems theory: when a system shifts to a new state

something that absorbs resources endlessly with no return

“The project became a black hole for funding.”

Origin: Astrophysics: region of spacetime with inescapable gravity

the tendency toward disorder and decline

“Without maintenance, entropy takes over any organization.”

Origin: Thermodynamics: measure of disorder in a system

characterized by ruthless competition and survival of the fittest

“The startup ecosystem is Darwinian—only the adaptable survive.”

Origin: From Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection

the act of observation changes what's observed

“Polling creates Heisenberg uncertainty—it influences the election it measures.”

Origin: Quantum mechanics: can't know both position and momentum precisely

a radical shift in perspective or understanding

“The discovery was a Copernican revolution in the field.”

Origin: Copernicus displacing Earth from the center of the universe

something in two contradictory states until observed

“Until we open the results, it's Schrodinger's cat—we both passed and failed.”

Origin: Thought experiment illustrating quantum superposition