Posts by Madeleine Muzdakis

Madeleine Muzdakis

Madeleine Muzdakis is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met and a historian of early modern Britain & the Atlantic world. She holds a BA in History and Mathematics from Brown University and an MA in European & Russian Studies from Yale University. Madeleine has worked in archives and museums for years with a particular focus on photography and arts education. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys hiking, film photography, and studying law while cuddling with her cat Georgia.
Environment
September 1, 2023

Ancient Greece’s Extinct Miracle Plant Once Used as Medicine and as a Contraceptive May Have Been Rediscovered in Turkey

The ancient Greeks used many natural remedies. Among them was a golden plant that grew on long thick stalks called silphium, or silphion. The plant treated coughs and fevers, functioned as a perfume, and was even used as an aphrodisiac as well as a contraceptive. Its importance was so great that it is found embossed on the reverses of ancient Cyrenaic coins from Cyrene, an ancient Greek city in modern-day Libya.

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Astronomy
August 29, 2023

On August 30, Stargazers Have the Chance to See a Rare Blue Supermoon

It will be worth staying up a bit late on August 30, 2023. If the weather is clear, people across the country should be able to gaze up upon a rare occurrence: a blue supermoon. While not technically blue in color, the moon will be shockingly bright and large as it travels its closest to Earth all year, with its peak occurring at around 9:36 p.m. EDT.

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Good News
August 26, 2023

Iranian Chess Player Sara Khadem Becomes Spanish Citizen After Being Unable to Go Home For Not Wearing a Hijab

The year 2022 was defined by Iranian woman's power. Responding to the death of Mahsa Amini in morality police custody, protesters flooded the streets to protest the rigid laws which dictated hijab standards for all women. Risking life and limb, Iranian women around the country and the world bared their heads in protest, cut their hair, and burned headscarves.

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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.