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.
Archeology
April 19, 2023

What Researchers Long Thought Was Just an Agate Crystal Is Actually a Dinosaur Egg Fossil

A beautiful pink and white agate crystal has sat in the archives of London's Natural History Museum since 1883. In 2018, a minerals curator named Robin Hansen selected the pretty stone to display at the institution. Several months later, Hansen encountered a similar agate, which a dealer informed him was in fact an agatized dinosaur egg.

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Archeology
April 16, 2023

Archeologists Find Preserved Food at an Ancient Iraqi Tavern Site

After a hard day's work, ancient people liked to unwind at the pub just like modern folks. At least, that is what new findings on the important archeological site of Lagash in Iraq indicate. As recently announced by the University of Pennsylvania, archeologists digging at the site uncovered a tavern dating to around 2700 B.C.E. The find is complete with an oven, benches, a clay refrigerator known as a zeer, and bowls with food remnants.

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Good News
April 9, 2023

Statue of Late Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman Donated to Film Museum in His Hometown

In 2014, the world of film—and film audiences—lost a great light. The actor Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away tragically at age 46 after a brilliant career spanning from cult classics like The Big Lebowski to an Academy Award for his performance in Capote. Born and raised in Fairport, a suburb of Rochester, New York, Hoffman has been greatly missed by many, particularly in his hometown.

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Science
April 1, 2023

World’s Oldest Preserved Brain Found in a 319 Million-Year-Old Fish Fossil

Fish are generally not known to be clever critters with tremendous brain power. Goldfish, in particular, are believed by many to have three-second memory spans, but that's not true. Another fish's brain has recently grabbed the spotlight for a different reason. A 319-million-year-old fish fossil sitting in the Manchester Museum has revealed that within its skull are a brain and cranial nerves that are the oldest well-preserved vertebrate brain ever discovered.

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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.