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FILE - Mercedes Russell, #21, during the game against Auburn at Thompson-Boling Arena on Jan. 7, 2018.

Adrien Terricabras, File / The Daily Beacon

End of tough road in sight for No. 6 Lady Vols Tyler Wombles

Sports Editor After moving past a lineup that featured Associated Press Top-25 teams Texas A&M and South Carolina, No. 6 Tennessee’s tough road stretch is about to end.

However, its conclusion will feature potentially the Lady Vols’ most challenging opponent yet.

The squad will travel to South Bend, Indiana, on Thursday to face off against No. 5 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish are 16-2 and are coming off of a 89-60 win over Boston College. Both of the Fighting Irish’s two losses came from highly-ranked opponents. No. 1 UConn and then-No. 3 Louisville are the only teams on the schedule to have bested Notre Dame.

“Notre Dame is a great team,” senior center Mercedes Russell said. “Obviously, they have had a very good season so far, so we’re excited for the opportunity this upcoming week. It’s not an SEC game, but it’s still just another game for us to get better.”

Volume 135 Issue 2

Last year, the Lady Vols escaped the two teams’ matchup with a win after Jaime Nared hit a jump shot in the final seconds, sealing Tennessee’s 71-69 victory. The win was one of the squad’s uplifting moments in an ultimately disappointing 20-12 season and ended a threegame losing streak to the Fighting Irish.

Holly Warlick’s team will enter this year’s contest with an impressive 16-1 record which Notre Dame will be looking to damage.

Junior guard Arike Ogunbowale leads the Fighting Irish with 19.7 points per game, followed by junior forward Jessica Shepard with 15.2. Ogunbowale also paces Notre Dame with a team-leading 5.5 rebounds per contest.

Graduate player Lili Thompson, a 5-foot-7 guard, averages a team-best 4.6 assists per game to go along with a 5.9 points per contest mark.

But the Lady Vols have firepower of their own to take into Thursday’s matchup. Seniors Jaime Nared and Mercedes Russell lead Tennessee in scoring, with 17.6 and 17.2 points per game respectively.

utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Freshman guards Evina Westbrook and Anastasia Hayes have also provided offensive opportunities for the Lady Vols, despite their age. Westbrook averages 10.4 points and has 83 assists, while Hayes has an average of 10.4 points and has notched 66 assists on the year.

The two freshmen were particularly effective in the Lady Vols’ last contest, an 86-70 victory over then-No. 9 South Carolina. Westbrook had 14 points and five assists, while Hayes recorded 11 points and four assists, consistently driving through the defense to the basket for scoring chances.

Tennessee is 21-6 all-time against the Fighting Irish, including an 8-3 record at Notre Dame. A Tennessee win would mark the second victory over Notre Dame for Warlick during her tenure as head coach of the Lady Vols.

Thursday’s contest is set to tip off 7 p.m. at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center in South Bend, Indiana, where the Lady Vols have a threegame losing streak. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

Thursday, January 18, 2018

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CAMPUSNEWS

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 18, 2018

THE DAILY BEACON STAFF

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief: Alex Holcomb Managing Editor: Rob Harvey Chief Copy Editor: Olivia Leftwich Engagement Editor: Alec Apostoaei News Editor: Annie Tieu Asst. News Editor: Kylie Hubbard Arts & Culture Editor: Neeley Moore Sports Editor: Tyler Wombles Asst. Sports Editor: Damichael Cole Digital Producer: Mary Hallie Sterling Asst. Digital Producer: Leann Daniel Photo Editors: Emily Gowder, Adrien Terricabras Design Editors: Laurel Cooper, Lauren Mayo Production Artists: Kelly Alley, Grace Atter, Mia Haq, Kyla Johnson, Caroline Littel

ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION

Student Advertising Manager: Zenobia Armstrong Media Sales Representatives: Ansley Brancoff, Amy Nelson Advertising Production: Nathaniel Alsbrooks, Alexys Lambert Classified Adviser: Mandy Adams

CONTACTS To report a news item, please e-mail editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-2348 To submit a press release, please e-mail editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com To place an ad, please e-mail beaconads@utk.edu or call 865-974-5206 To place a classified ad, please e-mail orderad@utdailybeacon.com or call 865-974-0951 Advertising: (865) 974-5206 beaconads@utk.edu Classifieds: (865) 974-4931 orderad@utdailybeacon.com Editor-in-Chief: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com Main Newsroom: (865) 974-3226 editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason. Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-in-Chief at editorinchief@ utdailybeacon.com .

CORRECTIONS POLICY: It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to managingeditor@utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206.

The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. The offices are located at 1340 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com

The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.

Mayuri dance team blends tradition, modernity Natalia Capella Staff Writer

UT’s Mayuri dance team is making moves on campus.

Founded just last year, the Mayuri Dance Team is UT’s first female Bollywood fusion dance group, expressing culture and tradition through a combination of Western and Indian music and moves.

“We are a fusion team, meaning we have influences of Bollywood dance, Western dance, classical dance and all different types of dance,” Ojaswini “Ojee” Sharma, sophomore in interdisciplinary studies and the team’s founder and president, said.

Their goal is to “spread the South Asian culture through a form of art by combining Eastern and Western styles of dance,” the group’s Facebook page said.

Across U.S. colleges and universities, there are a number of niche dance teams within Indian communities expressing the essence of their culture through movements. These types of contemporary fusion dances can trace their origins back to classical Indian styles of dance, many of which were traditionally rooted in religious performance arts.

Since ancient times, dance has played a significant part in the historical and cultural development of India and the rest of South Asia. One of the most prominent examples of the impact of South Asian fusion dance is Bollywood dance, which often synthesizes elements of Eastern and Western dance styles.

“Bollywood dance is very big in India,” Sharma said. “The Bollywood industry has songs in the movies … (and) dance numbers.”

After participating in the UT Indian American Association her freshman year and

Members of the Mayuri dance team practice in TRECS. Taylor Kirkland / The Daily Beacon choreographing a dance for the group, Sharma realized that there were no Indian dance teams at UT. In February, with her dance background in hand, Sharma was inspired to start a team.

“I saw teams compete, and I thought (they were) just absolutely amazing and elaborate performances,” Sharma said, citing the songs, acrobatics and fast-paced choreography. “It was a lot, and I just really enjoyed it, and I thought I should start one.”

The dance team held its first workshops and tryouts for 2017-2018 in September and now has close to 20 members.

Practices are generally held weekly. For those interested in joining or supporting the team, Vinisha Rama, senior in food science with a pre-professional concentration, recommended watching the group perform during competitions.

“If (people) want to get involved, they should

definitely come to the shows whenever we have a competition,” Rama said.

Although the Mayuri dance team is the first female fusion dance group for the university, other students have been creating and performing Indian dances such as Raas and Bhangra across the country. Many of these teams hold national competitions where they compete to win cash prizes and enter into bigger dance competitions with more elaborate dances.

The international house will hold an international dance competition on Friday, Feb. 23, where UT students have the chance to showcase their cultural dance skills.

“Our dance team’s goal is basically to compete … that’s one of the main things that we want to do,” Rama said. “We also want to show everyone what a Bollywood fusion is about and how we celebrate in India with our dance moves.”

Astronomy club gives students stellar experience Natalia Capella Staff Writer

UT’s Astronomy Club provides a space for students to delve deeper into the interstellar world.

In the fall semester of 2016, former students of Sean Lindsay, UT Astronomy Coordinator, lecturer and Astronomy Club advisor, began to express their passion to learn more about astronomy and outer space.

“They wanted to find a group of like-minded, space-passionate people to share the wonders of the universe with,” Lindsay said.

The club was officially organized and recognized the following spring. Members plan to increase activity and participation this semester.

The club hosts a variety of activities, both indoor and outdoor. Telescope and observation nights, held on the observation roof on top of the Nielsen Physics Building, allow members

to discuss what they see in the night sky. The group also holds inside events, such as planetarium nights which feature movies, shows and guest speakers.

Annastashia Blesi, club secretary and junior in physics, said the club has given her a new opportunity to learn.

“My favorite part of this club has been going to the rooftop astronomy viewings and being able to learn more about the telescopes that we are using,” Blesi said. “I love that we talk about what’s new in astronomy with other people who love astronomy and who are more educated in it than I am.”

Many topics addressed in the club build upon concepts that are taught in the classroom.

They also broaden students’ interests in other outside studies through hands-on learning and discussion.

The club also holds outreach events to attract new members. The biggest outreach event that

the club has hosted was the Great American Eclipse event last August, which corresponded with events at Great Smoky Mountains National Park at Cades Cove.

“We have many more exciting activities that are hopefully in the works,” Lindsay said.

The club regularly sees 20 to 30 active members, and the group hopes to grow in number.

“The best way to get involved is to attend the meetings, be willing to help out in planning events, going to outreach events and participate in astronomy enthusiasm,” Lindsay said.

Students are encouraged to make the most of their involvement with the club. Although it is geared toward what students want to learn, such as solar astronomy and cosmology, students of any major are invited to join in.

“We are looking for any person who is enthusiastic about learning astronomy and who is passionate about participating in astronomy activities,” Blesi said.

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CAMPUSNEWS

Thursday, January 18, 2018 • The Daily Beacon

3

UT Facilities Building recognizes past, present accomplishments Kylie Hubbard

Asst. News Editor One man’s love of Tennessee orange and Smokey gray helped the UT Facilities Department find its new home.

In 2013, UT acquired land from a man who owned a marble and precast concrete company.

The recession forced him out of the business, and due to his love for UT, he reached out to the university about the property which would become the UT Facilities Department.

Dave Irvin, Associate Vice Chancellor of the Facilities Department, said the building was in rough condition, complete with leaking roofs and walls and spotty electricity and heat.

“Many folks looked at it and said, ‘Why would we want this building?’” Irvin said. “It looked terrible; it (was) run down, but we looked at it and saw the potential.”

That potential led to a three-year process of renovation, completed in 2016, in order to bring the building back to life while preserving its history.

“For us, it was a perfect fit,” Irvin said. “It was a wonderful way to blend the history of our city and our university and our department with sort of cutting-edge, state-of-the-art uses and positioning both the building and our depart-

ment for the future.”

Previously, the department was spaced out across campus, often within the buildings serviced by its staff. The 600-person department had to schedule meetings to connect with one another, but now the department can connect easily in its open office atmosphere.

“When we first moved, I think there was some understandable concern that maybe being slightly off-campus would be a hindrance,” Irvin said. “I knew we had struck a home run after we’d been in the building about a week, and I looked out over our department, and our team and I saw about a half a dozen little conversations going on with people who previously wouldn’t have even talked to each other.”

The exterior of the building was reproduced with post and lintel expression, a form of building expression in which columns support a horizontal element, like a roof, and is a nod to the building’s previous purpose as a marble facility.

When the building was used as a marble and precast facility, the main section was a large open space wherein marble was cut and polished. The marble came to the facility on rail cars and was lifted from the cars by cranes, which still reside on the property.

“We are doing on the inside and on the outside measures that would recall the appearance

The interior of the Facilities Service Complex in 2017, after renovation.

Courtesy of Justin Dothard of this building when it was used as a marble processing plant,” Justin Dothard, facilities services project manager, said.

The building also helps the UT Facilities Department with its long-standing mission of maintaining and supporting the physical environment at UT. Physical environments at UT include its landscaping, utilities, infrastructure and architecture.

In October 2017, the project was awarded the East Tennessee Preservation Alliance’s Preservation Award, which recognizes organizations, individuals or projects that contribute to protecting East Tennessee heritage.

CONTINUED ONLINE Read at utdailybeacon.com

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CAMPUSNEWS

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 18, 2018

Game design team looks to future of virtual design Paige Greene

Copy Editor UT’s only game design club is making virtual worlds a reality.

The game design and virtual reality club is preparing for a major technological win this semester as Hodges Library Studio begins to devote a dedicated space to virtual reality and game-making “Tinker Tools.”

The club, which originally began over three years ago under the leadership of a few computer science majors, has recently undergone a transformation of sorts.

After meeting the former club president in a robotics class in spring 2016, graduate student in electrical engineering Brett Brownlee took ownership of the dwindling club and shifted its focus from traditional game design to virtual reality in the hopes of gaining more traction.

At the beginning of his presidency, Brownlee had only one piece of virtual reality equipment to share sporadically with other club members. Since then, Brownlee has pushed for technologies to be available on campus that could broaden the accessibility of game design. As early as next month, his dream could become a reality as more and more “Tinker Tools” are added to the library’s collection.

“The main thing (this equipment) should be used for is game design,” Brownlee said.

“In a game, you create art; you create music; you program. (This) is a software where you can do all of those things — but inside VR (virtual reality), very intuitively.

You don’t have to spend a week learning a specific program; you just go inside the program. You can 3D model; you can program music and make sort of simple game things.”

In this way, Brownlee hopes that game design can become a creative outlet for students from all backgrounds. He’s also attempting to design a secondary location for people to work collaboratively on virtual reality games — this time, through crowdsourcing up to 30 PlayStation 4 consoles to be plugged into labs in the computer science building.

“30 people could fit in one room, all accessing a virtual reality environment ... and be creating games, which is the goal of the club. It’s a beta they’re going to do, so it might be free. Anyone with a PS4 could do it,” Brownlee said. “I’ve been hoping that at some point, VR would enable lots of people to do this kind of thing, like it would be accessible and you could change some

sort of new way of looking at a computer ... That’s the last hope, at least for this semester.”

Although the club’s main emphasis is on virtual reality, members haven’t forsaken more conventional methods of theorycrafting and formal game design. Senior in computer science and jazz studies Forrest Sable testified to the usefulness of pen and paper in maximizing creative output.

“I’m deeply interested in game design – how to design a set of rules or game mechanics that enforce particular themes or elicit particular feelings from a player,” Sable said. “There are easy ways to create quick game ideas with common materials — index cards, some dice, poker chips or other markers — that let people iterate on interesting ideas quickly and get feedback from others.”

Nevertheless, Sable also realizes the potential of modern technology to increase accessibility.

“I hope this club can get people who want to make games to realize they don’t have to be programmers or talented artists to make games,” Sable said. “Anyone can do it if you truly have the desire. I also hope that we can show people on campus the value of VR as a tool and as an experience, not just for video games but for seeing other places and stepping into another person’s shoes.”

Beyond creating games for its own sake, the club’s knowledge and technology could also be applied to rehabilitative and educational purposes. Brownlee mentioned Wii Sports, a sort of early predecessor of VR, as an example since the games have been used to encourage physical activity in elderly people, and he also commented on other technologies focused on improving motor skills.

The immersive nature of virtual reality is conducive to unique, lasting learning experiences – something that even UT is looking to capitalize on, Brownlee said.

“In the language department, I showed them the (HTC) Vive system about two years ago, and they’re thinking about starting a game design minor at UT because they use it for creating a language-learning environment,” Brownlee said.

“If something was so accessible that anyone with a PS4 can make a French learning game, then it’s almost like it would be inevitable ... Now it’s actually going to change the world, and we’re going to see it, in positive ways – like enhancing education, just naturally, which hasn’t been happening yet.”

ARTS&CULTURE

Thursday, January 18, 2018 • The Daily Beacon

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What to Watch Wednesday: Movies for snow days Neeley Moore

Art and Culture Editor A cold front means a perfect time to cozy up, go see a recently released movie and avoid the dropping temperatures. Here are a few movies that came out over the holidays to watch as the snow melts outside.

“The Greatest Showman”

This winter’s biggest musical by far, “The Greatest Showman” tells the story of the man

who invented the circus, P. T. Barnum. Barnum’s story is beautifully told with out of this world visuals and music by “La La Land” songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, taking the circus to places it has never been before.

More than simply the spectacle of the show, The Greatest Showman focuses on the origin of the idea of a circus: A place for outcasts to shine, to be raised high and realize others’ worths in a place that normally shuns or mocks the unusual. Featuring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Zendaya as a few of the standout artists, “The Greatest Showman” is a story of family, love and working toward your dreams despite the obstacles.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” The most recent of the new era of Star Wars films, “The Last Jedi” has everything that Star Wars movies offer: Revolutionary action and compelling storylines with lovable characters.

“The Last Jedi” brings back Luke Skywalker, now an old man and bitter toward many of the things he previously fought for in the original films. Rey, the new protagonist, is determined to bring Luke back and convince him to train her in the force.

Battles are fought on land and space in old, familiar ways and in stunning new sequences that will become legend in the Star Wars uni-

for her personality, although her skating skill was unmatchable. When her mother forced her into training for a second Olympics in 1994 despite death threats, Harding’s boyfriend came up with a plan to threaten Harding’s competition, Nancy Kerrigan.

The film, starring Margot Robbie, shows the immense pressures often put on people in the professional Olympic athletic world. “I, Tonya” is a more serious, biographical watch but is already an award-winning and important film.

verse.

If you would rather avoid going out in the cold completely, marathoning the entire Star Wars collection is a great choice, just like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or Disney films.

“I, Tonya” With the Winter Olympics only a month away, “I, Tonya” is a moving and interesting movie about the biography of figure skater Tonya Harding. Harding was forced to skate as a child by her abusive mother, who later forced Harding into other life choices.

As her career advanced, Harding was judged

All photos courtesy of IMDb

Cruze Farm swirls up ice cream, Southern aesthetic Zoe Mooneyhan Contributor

Last Fall, Cruze Farm left behind its pop-up shop on Gay Street to open a permanent location on Asbury Road.

The store is housed in a beautiful, plantationstyle building in the middle of nowhere. When I drove out to the location, I almost missed it, but then I caught sight of the warm lighting and heard the soft lull of country music coming from the wrap-around porch. The building looks more like a home than an ice cream shop.

For warmer days, there are serving windows on the side of the building. The first time I went, it was an unseasonably warm day in the fall.

It was refreshing to grab my ice cream at the window and then take a seat in the shade of the porch at a metal table with a group of friends.

However, the building also has a few rooms for indoor seating; on cold days, these are much appreciated. I have quite the sweet tooth, so freezing temperatures are not going to keep me away from soft serve as long as there is a warm place to sit.

The inside has a cozy atmosphere. Each table is decorated with a vintage milk bottle filled with a clutch of wildflowers. On the walls there are blown up photographs of happy customers and employees together, often holding an ice

cream cone. In the hallway, there is a cupboard under the stairs with a bean bag chair, ready for a wandering child to daydream on it.

When I went to order, I was greeted by a young woman decked out in a red-and-whitecheckered dress inspired by the owner’s grandmother. Each employee also dons a Rosie the Riveter-inspired headband and a pop of red lipstick. What stand out the most, though, are everyone’s contagious and beautiful smiles.

Feeling welcomed by the pleasant atmosphere, I was ready to order. Usually, I order the sweet cream and chocolate swirl dipped in chocolate and served in a cone. (Be warned: the chocolate dip is amazing, but it is just as messy as it is delicious.) That day, however, I decided to stray from my norm and try something new.

I had heard a lot about the cookies ‘n cream flavor, but I had not seen it available the past couple of times I had been in. Today it was an option, so I went for it. It was so worth it. Unlike a regular cookies ‘n cream dish, there were no large chunks of Oreo in it. The ice cream was smooth and well-blended, boasting a perfect Oreo flavor on a sweet chocolate backdrop.

I was able to enjoy this wonderful flavor because the menu changes from week to week, with offerings depending on the season. During the holidays, Cruze Farm offers flavors such as peppermint, cookies ‘n cream, frozen hot chocolate and eggnog. Some flavors are avail-

Emily Gowder / The Daily Beacon able as swirls or as two flavors spun perfectly around each other. They also offer toppings and dipped options — like the wonderful but messy chocolate dip.

They do not just sell soft serve, though. A number of coffee options, milkshake flavors, biscuits and a soup of the day can be ordered as well. Everything is quite affordable and farm

fresh. Available in a cup or cone, the soft serve comes in two sizes — calf and cow — which cost $3 and $4 respectively.

Cruze Farm stands out not only for its outstanding homemade soft serve but also for its pleasing Southern aesthetic and atmosphere.

It may be a little out of the way, but the drive is totally worth it.

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OPINIONS

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 18, 2018

How do spiders handle the winter weather?

Mallory P. Ladd

AskAScientist

We’ve all heard the legends…

“We’re always within 10 feet of one.” That one’s more of a myth.

“We swallow 8 each year while we’re asleep.”

That’s a myth too (thankfully).

“They’re really good dancers.” Okay, that one’s totally true.

Whether they be in viral YouTube videos on elaborate courting rituals, in a friendly neighborhood superhero or threatening the lives of our favorite characters in “Harry Potter” or “Lord of the Rings,” spiders have always had a pretty prominent role in pop culture. Of all the creepy-crawly friends out there, spiders seem to fascinate and frighten us a little more than all the rest. Which may be why, with the recent wintery weather we’ve been having, some of our readers seemed concerned that they were noticing a few more spiders inside their homes than normal, begging the question: Do spiders survive the cold by coming inside?

What about drought or floods? They’re so tiny; how do they survive any stark change in the weather?

As it turns out, spiders are actually WAY more resilient than humans and have evolved to live in almost every corner of the planet through all sorts of different weather conditions thrown at them.

For example, last year, you may have seen photos going around from Tasmania, where hordes of spiders were found to have “ballooned” into the trees using their webs to escape a flood.

The stuff of nightmares … but I digress.

Research has shown that some spiders can even survive underwater for upwards of 36 hours by trapping air using the tiny hairs all over their bodies. In that same study, even after the spiders had apparently gone into a coma and died, just by leaving them on the benchtop to dry out, some woke up and came back to life.

Spiders have not only figured out how to survive the wettest of conditions but also the dryest.

In the desert, some spiders have adapted to do their hunting at night, cool off below ground, store water by slowing their breathing or become

inactive during times of extreme heat or drought.

But what about in cases of extreme cold?

“Spiders survive the winter by coming inside.”

We have to give this one a hard ... myth-ish. It’s a bit of a tangled web.

Nope, not even sorry about that one.

First of all, we have to remember that spiders are “cold-blooded,” ectotherms, to be exact, meaning they do have a temperature range that they like to stay in, but they’re not really attracted to warm spaces. The fact that we see more of them inside during the winter is probably just because we spend more time inside during the winter. Also, there are fewer predators out and about, so they probably feel a little safer wandering around and end up wandering into our homes. So, really, we likely just notice spiders more in the wintertime.

But if it’s not by seeking shelter inside, how do spiders survive during the winter months?

When we think of a spider “freezing to death,” we might picture that everything kind of just stops moving. No blood flow, no heartbeat. Right?

Well, that’s not quite true either. Susan Riechert, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and our own resident spider expert here at UT, explains that “as long as the temperature decrease is gradual enough, and they stop feeding before the freezing temperatures hit, many spiders can freeze, thaw out, and then be just fine.”

Like Han Solo!? Yep! When temperatures fall below zero, what spiders really have to worry about is the formation of ice crystals in their blood, which physically damages cells and leads to death. There’s no thawing out and waking up after that happens.

What some spiders have evolved to do is produce small molecules and proteins in their blood called cryoprotectants which literally act as antifreeze for their bodies and help prevent the formation of ice crystals. This essentially allows them to supercool their bodies and survive at below-freezing temperatures. Others enter a hibernation of sorts — called diapause — where they don’t move around as much, and some even stop growing entirely!

Could you imagine getting stuck in puberty because the temperature was a little too cold for you?

No, thank you.

But it always depends on how cold it is and how long it stays that cold. Throughout the winter, depending on the conditions, spiders are constantly weighing the benefits of foraging for food to increase their growth against the increased risk of freezing.

“Some spiders are small enough that they can raise their temperature enough just by sunbathing on top of the snow,” Riechert said.

And finally, if they don’t have fancy blood proteins or are too big to hang out on top of the snow to catch some rays, some species protect against the cold simply by burrowing underground or into the snow. Or they may do so by building warm forts out of leaves and sticks.

With over 45,000 different species of spiders on this planet, we guess it makes sense they wouldn’t all survive in the same way. Whatever their methods are, spiders will continue to stick around throughout the year and throughout the ages, providing both myths, legends and a fear for our readers to conquer in the cold, dark winter months.

How do we know all this stuff, anyway? Thank a biologist! By studying spiders, we’ve not only learned more about how they have evolved but also have discovered new medicines and lesspolluting pesticides from their venoms, and we are engineering lighter and stronger materials using what we learn about their webs. Some of that research is even happening right here at UT! For more information about the work going on in Riechert’s lab, check out her faculty profile.

Have a question for Ask a Scientist or want to join our organization? Contact us by email at askasci@utk.edu or tweet us a @AskAScientistUT. Check us out on VOLink for sources used in this article and upcoming events we’ll be hosting.

Mallory Ladd is a Ph.D. Candidate in analytical chemistry and climate science and can be reached at mladd5@utk.edu.

Columns of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

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PUZZLES&GAMES

Thursday, January 18, 2018 • The Daily Beacon

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STR8TS No. 1076

Medium

Previous solution - Easy

3 4 2 5 7 8 8 9 3 6 5 8 9 6 7 6 4 5 7 6 7 8 5 9 6 7 8 3 3 4 1 2 4 5 2 1

8 6 7

2

6 7

3 9

3 7

8 4

3 1

9 8

2

6

© 2018 Syndicated Puzzles

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You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com

7 6 5 1 3 2 4

8 6 5 9 7 4 2 3 4 2 1 4 1 3 5 6 7 8 3 8 7

How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

SUDOKU No. 1076

Very Hard

3 8 1 6 2 7

2 3 4

4

8

6 7 2

3 9

5 9

9

1 8

7 8 5 2

7 9

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

3 9 8 7 1 6 5 4 2

9 7 6 2 8 3 4 1 5

1 4 3 6 7 5 8 2 9

8 5 2 9 4 1 7 6 3

4 3 5 8 6 2 1 9 7

6 8 1 5 9 7 2 3 4

7 2 9 1 3 4 6 5 8

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. © 2018 Syndicated Puzzles

3 4

2 6 7 4 5 9 3 8 1

ACROSS

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1 As thick as thieves

39 Phrase used as a basic tenet of improv comedy

10 Butt heads 15 PV = k, to a physicist

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Str8ts, Sudoku and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store at www.str8ts.com

16 “Um … I’m standing right here!”

18 Literary hero who gets resurrected 19 Introduction to science?

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41 Worm’s-___ view

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42 Daniels who adapted “The Office” for NBC

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43 Advice for a wannabe loser

30

46 PIN point

36

48 Like some exclusive contracts

30 ___ fair 33 One might be embedded

31

32

24 27

25

28

29

33

34

37

35

38

39

40

42

43

41

44

45

47

52

48

53

54

57

58

60

61

62

63

55

49 56

59

60 Interlace PUZZLE BY PETER WENTZ

61 Start hopping

34 “The Warm Heart of Africa”

DOWN

62 Whoops

1 Former laptop line

63 Some office openings

36 Forum icons 38 President’s personal aide

2 Woman’s name that becomes a man’s name when its first letter is added to the end

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE T A R S

21

23

46

58 Medical marijuana is one

29 Chip, e.g.

20

26

52 Explosive 22 Longtime radio D.J. theory?

24 Pentathlon event 56 Birthday visitors?

25 Puckish 57 Resolved to do 26 Secretly

S E D A N

3

15

47 “Oven”

20 It hurts when you rub it in

G O O D O D O R D E H Y R B B G U E A R N A N A T A N I N D R T A R O P A S R E P S H E I S E L D E A S S A

2

40 Thundering

17 Nursing is a key component of it

Previous solution - Tough

5 1 4 3 2 8 9 7 6

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD • Will Shortz

U T A H

F E T E

P U F H E L L E N T I A R E T C A R H A S F O R T N E R I D Y C O

F R E S H F A C E D A V O N

T E E E L S G E N E

P A S T C L O A P E R K W O E G I R A R F I S A E T N D Y O S R O D O Z P A W E E R R E V E T M I N H E A D

S K Y S

3 Blue shades

H A N D E D

6 Grp. that doesn’t cover the selfemployed

R D S

4 Germany and Japan, once 5 It was cool in the ’40s

7 N.C.A.A.’s St. ___ Oles 8 “How’s the food?”

9 Crucial time for network execs 10 Bank of America competitor

11 Grateful Dead bassist Phil

37 Identify online

12 Filled with desire

38 Many an online nuisance

13 Work one’s fingers to the bone

40 Cedar Revolution locale

14 Mead 21 Scold and then some 23 1998 Disney princess 27 English setter, e.g.

28 Careful workers, briefly?

44 Cry after a vacation 45 Exotic salad ingredient 47 Orchestra section 49 Lime cooler garnish 50 “Fine, you win!”

29 Be successful, as a proposal

51 Does some kitchen prep

30 Storied party host

53 Be super-angry

31 Yonder

54 Big shot

32 Alchemist’s starting 55 ___ club point 59 Cry of 35 Contribute frustration

8

SPORTS

The Daily Beacon • Thursday, January 18, 2018

BASKETBALL

Alexander becoming reliable player Tennessee needs

Damichael Cole

Asst. Sports Editor Kyle Alexander knows exactly which two games stand out to him as the worst of his three-year collegiate career: His freshman season match against Butler and his recent game against Vanderbilt.

In those two games combined, Alexander had 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 blocks and 0 steals in 26 minutes of game action.

“There are times he’s not as aggressive as he needs to be,” Bone said.

In the two games following those, he responded with the aggressiveness that the team wants to consistently see out of him.

In those games combined, Alexander had 20 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks. He also had what people around him described as the best game of his career last Saturday against the Texas A&M Aggies.

Alexander’s length bothered the Aggies, and he was a consistent force, tallying 30 minutes in the game.

“He’s just really locked in,” Bone said. “He definitely changed the game.”

When Alexander arrived at Tennessee, he was considered somewhat of a project. He was a player with enormous potential but had to work seemingly endlessly to get where he is now.

With potential often comes inconsistency.

Players sometimes shows what they are capa-

ble of just to follow that up with not-so-stellar outings. This was a pattern which occurred with Alexander.

Now in his third season, Alexander has has been a consistent starter, and coach Rick Barnes is steadily pushing him to become a more consistent player.

“He’s a junior now. We shouldn’t have to talk about ‘Where did he go’ and ‘Where were you tonight,’” Barnes said.

It isn’t just Barnes pushing, it’s his teammates, too. They have seen Alexander at his best and know his capabilities. Sometimes they just have to work to get it out of him.

This season the game has started to slow down for Alexander because of his betterdefined role.

Surrounded by Grant Williams, Admiral Schofield and Jordan Bowden, Alexander’s job isn’t to score 20 points per game. His role is more on the defensive end.

“We’re not asking him to do a lot of great things, but what we need him to do, he needs to be doing every single night,” Barnes said.

On the defensive end, Alexander’s length and ability to block shots has served the Vols well.

Make no mistake about it: Alexander isn’t the same skinny freshman whose weight everyone was asking about two years ago. Alexander has put on the muscle to bang in the paint, gaining 38 pounds since his freshman season, and his teammates have taken notice in prac-

Kyle Alexander, #11, during the game against Kentucky at Thompson-Boling Arena on Jan. 6, 2018.

Adrien Terricabras / The Daily Beacon tice.

“If anybody looks at Kyle from freshman year to now, you can tell the difference,” Williams said. “He’s also hitting some people that you didn’t expect him to last year. He’ll go up for a rebound, and you’re like ‘Whoa, let me take a breather,’” Williams said.

Going down the final stretch of the season, the Vols will need Alexander in order to make a run in the NCAA Tournament.

Despite playing just 20 minutes a game, Alexander is third on the team in rebounds and leads the team in blocks.

“Grant, Admiral and Bowden are three tal-

ented players,” Alexander said. “We need to take the pressure off them by doing our jobs.

We need to pull our own weight, and I’m just trying to do that consistently.”

Alexander has experienced many highs and lows in his three-year career.

After his best career outing up to date, a lot of eyes will be on his progression as the Vols try to make a tournament run.

“It really seems like when Kyle plays his best, we are really hard to beat,” Bone said. “I don’t think we’ve lost a game when he’s played his best games.”

FOOTBALL

Did Dormady have any impact on Vols before leaving?

Tyler Wombles

Sports Editor On Monday, Tennessee’s quarterback room got a little less crowded.

Rising senior Quinten Dormady announced through a Twitter post that he is planning to transfer from UT and play out his final year of eligibility at another school. He is currently recovering from a shoulder injury that occurred last year.

“I am excited as I look to the future and toward a great opportunity,” Dormady wrote in the post. “I am making great progress every day with the help of my family, my friends and doctors. I want to thank everyone for their support through rehab.

“My goal is to work my way back to the game as a post-graduate quarterback – stronger, sharper, ready to compete and be a good teammate. That is my single focus at the moment.”

While the decision was expected by multiple fans and analysts, considering that Dormady was benched for then-redshirt freshman Jarrett Guarantano halfway through the 2017 season, it still leaves a lot of questions to be answered.

Many of those questions center around which player will start at signal caller for the Vols in 2018, but the quandary of Dormady’s actual impact on Tennessee is still up for debate.

Dormady served as the backup to Josh Dobbs for two seasons, making several appearances in blowout games. His potential as an accurate pocket-passer excited many Vol fans in the short time that he saw the field.

Dormady won the starting quarterback position during the 2017 preseason, beating out athletically-hyped Guarantano. He struggled in the first half of the season opener against Georgia Tech but caught fire in the second, leading the Vols to a 42-41 overtime victory while throwing for 221 yards and two touchdowns.

But the rest of Dormady’s starting stretch wasn’t kind to the Texas native. The Vols’ offense struggled in a 20-26 loss to Florida, barely outscored UMass and was shut out by Georgia. He was benched six games into the season after throwing for six touchdowns and six interceptions.

After serving as the backup to Guarantano for several games, Dormady’s season was ultimately ended due to shoulder surgery. Left with only one year of eligibility and without a sure chance of getting on the field in 2018, Dormady finally announced his intentions to transfer out of the program.

Dormady finished his career at Tennessee with 1,282 passing yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions. He also carried the ball 22 times for 21 yards, including a long rush of 13 yards.

He was arguably more of an explosive passer than Guarantano last season, throwing for two more touchdowns, but Guarantano’s ability to avoid forcing turnovers allowed him to keep

the job once it was given to him. He threw four fewer interceptions than Dormady.

Dormady’s second-half heroics may have saved the Vols from a season-opening loss in Atlanta, but the offense’s inability to move the ball while he was the starting quarterback hurt his reputation as Tennessee’s answer at that position.

With Dormady now out of the picture in regard to the Vols’ depth chart, head coach Jeremy Pruitt will have to evaluate his current crop talent at quarterback and decide which player will start when the Vols face West Virginia at Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 1.

“I think the biggest thing is — you kind of look at roster management and where did the season end?” Pruitt said during a press conference on Dec. 10. “To me, it’s really based off numbers, not exactly the quality at the numbers. To me, it’s about the numbers that you have at the position so you can make it through spring ball.”