Metaphors not only contribute to cognitively accommodate new information and concepts, but also to mobilize political, social or ideological meanings. In the popularization of biotechnology-related facts and achievements, the metaphors chosen to construct newspaper articles may influence both positively and negatively the general public perceptions of its several applications. This study reports a discourse analysis of metaphors used in Brazilian opinion-leading newspapers to popularize cloning and stem cell research: “revolution”, “opening new ways/doors”, “promise” and “hope”. Predominantly associated with positive sense, they may have contributed to reduce the resistance against animal and/or therapeutic cloning and to construct a moral imperative in favor of embryonic stem cell research, which would lead to therapies or cures for incurable diseases.
