Pandora's Box or panacea? Using metaphors to create the public representations of biotechnology

This paper addresses the use of metaphors in creating public representations of biotechnology in the United Kingdom's leading quality press. Metaphors referring to biotechnology and its applications have been analyzed in press articles covering the period 1973-1996. The paper describes how metaphors can be used to popularize complex technical information while at the same time providing a highly charged message about the technology itself. The analysis draws conclusions about the content and general direction of the debate on biotechnology during the past three decades.