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.
Endangered Animals
January 14, 2022

Stunning Footage Captures Rare Sighting of a Psychedelic Jellyfish in the Pacific Ocean

Jellyfish are mesmerizing creatures. From the giant phantom jelly to a giant red specimen, they come in a seemingly infinite variety of shapes and sizes. More species continue to be discovered as scientists push into the deep, dark corners of the ocean. Recently, a team from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute captured footage of a rare psychedelic jellyfish in the midnight zone of the Pacific's Monterey Canyon.

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Installation
January 12, 2022

Avant-Garde Carpets Look Like They’re Melting Into Viscous Puddles

Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed is known for his mesmerizing textile masterpieces. He debuted Doubts, an intricate red tapestry in 2020 after COVID-19 interrupted his artistic practice. Now, three new works join the piece on display in a solo exhibition titled Faig Ahmed: PIR at Sapar Contemporary in New York. This exhibit includes three textile pieces inspired by spiritual minds that are highly influential in Azerbaijani culture, as well as a video from the artist himself.

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History
January 5, 2022

103-Year-Old “Aunty Moser” May Have Been One of the Earliest-Born People Ever Photographed

The development of photography in the 19th century changed the art of portraiture. While etchings, paintings, and sketches remained commonplace, the earliest photographic portraits began to be captured on daguerrotype plates. This new method spread fast and wide so that by mid-century a studio portrait was accessible to middle-class sitters. Such portraits were a new way to memorialize history and its people—including everyone from famous presidents to ordinary folks.

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Science
December 29, 2021

66-Million-Year-Old Fossilized Dinosaur Egg Discovered With Baby Inside

Many dinosaurs emerged into their prehistoric world from large eggs. Despite finding nests and eggshells, it is rare for scientists to discover an intact fetus. An egg discovered in 2000 languished in a Chinese museum for years before researchers discovered that it contained a rare phenomenon. Curled inside is a well-preserved skeleton of a fetal oviraptorosaur, a three-toed dinosaur with hollow bones.

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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.