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Thayer School of Engineering Professor Erland Schulson (courtesy Science Friday)

“It can be as weak as a cookie or as strong as concrete,” said Thayer School of Engineering Professor Erland Schulson.

What is it? Ice.

Schulson studies the substance as director of Dartmouth’s Ice Research Laboratory and the George Austin Colligan Distinguished Professor of Engineering.

So when NPR’s Science Friday took a look at ice sculpting, it turned to Schulson for scientific analysis.

“Cloudy ice is cloudy because of air, entrapped air,” Schulson explained. “The air bubbles actually scatter light.”

Watch the full video, published 1/27/12 by NPR’s Science Friday.