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.
Astronomy
August 23, 2022

This NASA Astronaut Will Become the First Native American Woman in Space

As of March 2022, only 75 women have ever flown in space, according to NASA. Humankind has only been capable of such flight for about 60 years, but it took decades for women to have equal opportunities to test their scientific knowledge and courage in the great beyond. The NASA astronaut class of 2013 was the first to include equal numbers of men and women.

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Social Cause
August 18, 2022

California Will Become the First State to Offer Free School Lunch to All Students

Some say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but for kids in California public schools this is soon to be untrue—free lunch will soon be available to all students. In a huge step towards fighting food insecurity and child hunger, California is set to become the first state to offer free, nutritious school meals to all children regardless of income.

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Art History
August 13, 2022

Centuries-Old “Magic Mirror” Discovered Hiding in Storage at the Cincinnati Art Museum

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, what's the greatest surprise of them all? For researchers at the Cincinnati Art Museum, the shock of discovering a “magic mirror” within the museum's holdings was a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. The antique mirror is crafted from elegant bronze, shined to reflective perfection. For most of its over 50 years in the collections, the mirror was largely considered unexceptional.

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Good News
August 11, 2022

London Museum Is Returning Over 70 Pieces of Looted Art to Nigeria

The Kingdom of Benin was established in the 13th century in West Africa. From medieval beginnings emerged a powerful kingdom with extensive trade networks, glorious art in bronze and wood, and powerful rulers known as obas. Its capital was Benin City, or Edo, and is still an urban center of present-day Nigeria. In 1897, British troops razed the city—pillaging treasures and burning buildings. Many of these looted works ended up in European museums.

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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.