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 19, 2021

India Joins List of Countries to Ban Production and Use of Single-Use Plastics

Single-use plastics accumulate in our planet's oceans where they can endanger wildlife. They also clog local landfills where they will persist for hundreds of years, barely decomposing. Recycling helps, but increasingly countries are pivoting to eliminating single-use plastics altogether. India is the latest nation to ban certain plastic items and set out rules which the country hopes will reduce waste. The Indian government has announced the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021.

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Good News
August 10, 2021

Man Accidentally Discovers Judy Garland’s Lost ‘Wizard of Oz’ Dress

Based on the book by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz (1939) was an early example of the beauty of Technicolor film technology. Particularly, the legendary blue-and-white checkered dress and sparkling ruby slippers worn by a young Judy Garland would have been much duller on the screens only a few years before. Luckily, Garland's costume was designed with Technicolor in mind.

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Birds
July 21, 2021

New Study Finds That Crows Are So Intelligent They Understand the Concept of Zero

Crows are incredibly smart. Researchers have already discovered that these sleek, dark birds possess primary, or sensory, consciousness—the ability possessed by humans and some primates to merge memories to think in terms of past and present. A recent paper published in The Journal of Neuroscience expands the wealth of knowledge on these clever creatures. In the study, researchers discovered that crows can comprehend the concept of zero. Zero is actually a rather recent mathematical invention.

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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.