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.
Good News
July 15, 2022

Dalai Lama Celebrates His 87th Birthday by Opening a New Library and Museum

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is one of the most revered spiritual leaders on the planet. The Buddhist leader, known as Tenzin Gyatso, is the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama. Born in 1935, he has reigned as Tibet's spiritual leader since 1940. In July, His Holiness turned 87 and celebrated by inaugurating the Dalai Lama Library and Museum in Dharmsala, India.

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Animals
July 9, 2022

Monarch Butterfly Populations Are Showing Recovery After a Winter in Mexico

Monarch butterflies are famous for their striking orange and black wings. These beautiful, elegant insects are also renowned for their impressive migratory regimen. Wintering in Mexico, they travel as far north as Southern Canada in the spring. However, as with many other species, the delicate natural rhythms of their migration are threatened by global warming and habitat loss.

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Ancient Art
July 4, 2022

Explore the Early 20-Side Icosahedron Dice That Were Tossed in Ancient Rome

Dice—and their attendant games of chance—have an ancient history. Dice probably originated with marked knucklebones which were used to cast lots and interpret the divine. These relics are clearly recognizable to the modern eye as dice, but other multi-faceted versions might seem a bit befuddling. Polyhedrons (multi-sided solids) inscribed with Greek or Roman characters were common and likely used in conjunction with oracles. Polyhedral dice include the standard six-face die.

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Endangered Animals
June 29, 2022

Last Known Member of Giant Tortoise Species Thought To Be Extinct Is Discovered on Galápagos Islands

In 1906, researchers from the California Academy of Sciences captured (and stuffed) a giant tortoise. The male critter had roamed Fernandina Island, one of the islands of the gorgeous Galápagos. Known scientifically as chelonoidis phantasticus, the poor reptile was thought to be the last of its species—magnificent, ancient, yet extinct. However, after a century of tantalizing clues, biologists have shocking news. The species, whose name is Latin for “fantastic giant tortoise,” is not extinct.

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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.