Pamela Isley AKA Poison Ivy is one of the greatest Batman villains ever, and certainly one of the best femmes fatale in fiction. With a mastery over the plant world, her signature tactic is poison. Famously, she can either create or secrete toxins so potent that, when applied in a smear of red lipstick, can kill with a single kiss. But what kind of poison or toxin would have to be on her lips to do this?
But before I give you my educated guess, Because Science has—right now!—its own channel on Facebook and Youtube, and its own presence on Instagram and Twitter. You can subscribe for a direct line to sciencey goodness. And you should — starting today BS is transitioning into posting only on the new channels. Go, now!
Deadly kisses are nothing new in fiction, but Poison Ivy is a unique case. To figure out what kind of toxin might be on her lips, we have to first establish the parameters. It should be a plant-based poison — Isley controls plant life and was a botanist before becoming a manifestation of nature itself — and it should be a poison that kills relatively quickly. There are many poisons that we know of that have the potency to hold a killer dose in just a thin application of red, but do any of those fill the bill?
After you watch the new episode above, check out my last video on how Black Panther’s vibranium suit might work, buy a Because Science shirt, mug, hat, or collectible pin, and follow me on Twitter to give me a suggestion for the next episode or on Instagram.
Want Because Science days before anyone else? Subscribe to Alpha for early access to the show and peep my premium show The S.P.A.A.C.E. Program!
