Laser rifles and blasters and phasers are fine, but the sci-fi weapons that really stick with me are more…traditional. A self-heavying hammer or an indestructible shield are the sort of artillery I end up remembering. Wonder Woman‘s shield, lasso, and gauntlets certainly fit the bill, but until I came across one specific line of dialogue in a beautiful comic book, I didn’t know just how awesome Princess Diana’s sword was.

In my latest Because Science, I’m looking into the science-based ramifications of this one panel in Alex Ross and Mark Waid’s gorgeous Kingdom Come. In the comic, Diana reveals to Superman–after the Kryptonian cuts his thumb on it–that her magical blade is sharp enough to “carve the electrons off an atom.” This is an incredible statement with truly wondrous consequences.

If Wonder Woman’s sword could carve electrons off an atom, just wielding it would be unlike any sword you ever grasped. For one, if Diana dropped it above anything, it would bury itself up to the hilt in whatever it was. And when she swung the sword, because it would actually move through air molecules, something pretty darn awesome would happen.

To find out what, and what the sword could actually make it through, check out my latest episode above!

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