Again with my last examination of science in a single issue, I am once again focusing on an series not known for any scientific outlook.  Still, if the science is there then I will look at it.  So here goes for Birds of Prey #4 (as always there are spoilers here.) 

Enzymes and inhibitors

This was the best science I have seen in comics in a long time and it is good because it was kept simple and vague.  What he is basically talking about here are enzymes or inhibitors, but as he is vague it is hard to tell.  A protein can do either, in one case it helps a process occur more quickly (thus it’s a catalyst) or it can be an inhibitor as well which means it stops any reactions from occurring.  In either case here, it could be the case as whatever was in Dinah’s system could be broken down in this way (by not describing more it is hard to be more critical.)  Also it might be hard to synthesize enough to act as an antidote right away, but there is nothing to say that it is not a very common protein which might be in abundance in his lab anyway. 

Verdict:  Good science

 Lasers and wavelengths of light

Is there anything that lasers can’t do?  In fact there is a lot.  Not everyone knows that laser is actually an acronym which stands for light amplification by the stimulates emissions of electrons.  Thus what lasers are is basically beefed-up light waves.  What light waves are not though is omni-directional, they are unidirectional (I explained this previously about sound.)  In the cases where lasers are omni-directional (like in the scanner at a supermarket) it is actually a sequence of lasers as opposed to just one.  In this case there is a bulb on the end of Starling’s laser which means it is being diffused in some manner (and this is done with some lasers) but this would decrease the overall effect of the laser.  Anyway what the problem here is that apparently the villainous Cleaners are visible in only a small spectrum of visible light, and one apparently which the human eye cannot recognize.  Fair enough I guess, but if she is trying to isolate a specific wavelength she wouldn’t need a laser for that.  A flashlight with the right lens would do. 

Verdict: Bad science

hmmmm....educational 
 
Didn't the Birds of Prey ever see Predator 2?? :)

@cattlebattle: I have seen Predator 2, but I am not sure what you are referring to

@RazzaTazz: nice blog...