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
August 9, 2022

Parts of the Great Barrier Reef Show the Highest Coral Cover in 36 Years

The Great Barrier Reef is a global treasure. Visible from space, the marine park stretches over 1,800 miles along Australia's Queensland coast. The bright coral is a phenomenal living being visible under crystal-clear waters. A favorite of divers, it is home to 400 different kinds of coral, rays, dolphins, 1,500 species of fish, 200 types of birds, sea turtles, mating humpback whales, and even giant clams.

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Environment
August 1, 2022

California Law Begins to Phase Out Single-Use Plastics

Plastics clog our oceans and clutter land fills. About half of our global plastic use is in single-use products such as cling film, packaging, or plastic bags. Countries around the world have begun banning these products in an effort to protect ecosystems. California has recently enacted a new, sweeping law which will dramatically cut single-use plastic production and shift the burdens of plastic pollution to the industries which churn them out and advocate against restrictions.

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Endangered Animals
July 27, 2022

Monarch Butterflies Are Now Classified as an Endangered Species

The monarch butterfly's iconic orange and black wings are a summer staple in North America. Alighting on flowers and flitting around, light as air, the creature is perhaps one of the few insects universally regarded as beautiful. Unfortunately, the most famous type of butterfly is becoming a much less common sight. In fact, the species was just listed as endangered in a sobering warning sign for the future of other species.

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Good News
July 21, 2022

Painting Looted by the Nazis Is Returned to 101-Year-Old Dutch Woman

As the Nazis swept across Europe in the late 1930s and into the 1940s, precious art began to vanish from the homes of Jewish families and European museums. Many Jewish collectors fled, leaving behind their treasures. Others fell victim to the horrific genocide orchestrated by Hitler's forces. Museums and other private collections were pillaged by occupiers. After the war, many works seemed lost forever.

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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.