By bringing together what we know and what we don't know through analogy, metaphorical thinking strikes the spark that ignites discovery.

When the peat ignites, the fire can creep beneath the surface and erupt somewhere else, days or weeks later. And, like coal, peat stores massive amounts of carbon, which is released into the atmosphere when the land is burned, cleared, and drained to make way for plantations.

So, while the interim agreement may not be a replay of the Munich Agreement in 1938, as many critics contend, it may have set the stage for an even more combustible future. US President Barack Obama may not be in office when the fire ignites, but if things do go terribly wrong, he may be remembered as another statesman who, like Neville Chamberlain, was blind to the consequences of his peaceful intentions.