Posts by Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Staff Writer and Video Editor at My Modern Met. She earned a BA in Fashion and Textile Design at the University of Ulster in Belfast. Originally from Northern Ireland, she lived in Berlin for many years, where she fostered a career in the arts, dabbling in everything from illustration and animation to music and ceramics. She now calls Edinburgh home, where she continues to work as a writer, illustrator, and ceramicist. Her ceramics, often combined with hand-painted animation frames, capture playful scenes that celebrate freedom and movement, and blend her passion for art with storytelling. Her illustrations have been featured in The Berliner Magazine as well as other print magazines and a poetry book.
Good News
August 2, 2026

Train Driver Talks Woman Through a Mental Health Crisis and Later Becomes Her Husband

One day in 2019, while standing at a train station, 33-year-old healthcare assistant Charlotte Lay made the impulsive decision to end her life after struggling with her mental health. She climbed onto the tracks, sat down, and waited for the train to arrive. But instead of striking her, the train came to a stop. The driver climbed out, spoke with Charlotte, and persuaded her to keep living.

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Science
July 27, 2026

Research Suggests Creativity Has Been in Decline for Decades, but There’s Still Time To Improve It

While both intelligence (IQ) and creativity (CQ) scores were climbing in the U.S. before 1990, creativity has since taken an alarming downward turn. Research by Kyung Hee Kim, a professor at William & Mary University, found that imaginative creativity for both children and adults has declined significantly over the past few decades.

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Art
July 22, 2026

Giant Pop-Up Book at Los Angeles Public Library Sets Guinness World Record

A giant pop-up book at the Los Angeles Public Library has officially been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the largest ever created. Weighing 1,800 pounds, the monumental book—titled Luceros y Penumbras—features two oversized spreads that require the strength of multiple people to open. Once fully unfolded, it measures an astonishing 31 feet by 20 feet, with pop-up elements rising more than 11 feet into the air.

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Archeology
July 16, 2026

Archaeologists Discover 1,600-Year-Old Roman Guardian Sculpture at Ancient Fort Near Hadrian’s Wall

On June 16, 2026, Dr. Andrew Birley, director of excavations at Vindolanda, was excavating a fourth-century Roman barrack when he came across a beautifully preserved sandstone statue depicting a protective guardian spirit. The rare Roman relief was untouched since it had been deliberately buried beneath the barrack floor more than 1,600 years ago. Vindolanda was a Roman fort in northern England, built around 85 CE, just south of Hadrian’s Wall.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.