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.
Renaissance Art
June 30, 2024

15th-Century Monk Crowdsourced Info to Create Shockingly Accurate World Map

Before satellites and air flight, one might think mapping the contours of continents and the shores of seas accurately was nearly impossible. However, careful research alone could sometimes produce useable, surprisingly accurate renditions of geography. In the 15th century, a medieval monk known as Fra Mauro bucked cartographic tradition and carefully crafted a massive eight-foot by eight-foot map of the then-known world. Created for King Afonso V of Portugal, this Mappa Mundi (World Map)

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Archeology
June 27, 2024

29 Bottles of Preserved Fruit From the 18th Century Discovered at George Washington’s Estate

In May 2024, the archeological community recieved exciting news. Buried in an old cellar beneath George Washington's home of Mount Vernon lay two bottles crafted in the 18th century. Within the sealed bottles, archeologists discovered the remains of cherries picked before the founding of the United States. While this discovery was thrilling, the ongoing work to preserve the historic home has turned up another, even more incredible find.

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Astronomy
June 21, 2024

Newly Discovered Exoplanet the Size of Earth May Be Habitable

The search for extraterrestrial life has long motivated astronomers. The universe is vast and many realms still remain unknown. Thankfully, the evolving technology of astronomers at NASA and other research centers has shed light on increasingly far reaches of the skies. Observations from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) have recently revealed yet another exoplanet—a planet beyond our Solar System.

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Birds
June 16, 2024

Meet the Rüppell’s Vulture, the Extraordinary Bird That Can Fly as High as an Airplane

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman! No. Actually, that winged creature high in the sky is a Rüppell’s vulture. Native to the Sahel region of Africa, this magnificent species of griffon vulture stretches eight feet in wingspan and 33 to 38 inches in height. Its beady eyes, long neck, and brown and white feathers are perfectly crafted for the desert scavenger. But its size is far from its most impressive trait.

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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.