munich

This special stamp marks the fiftieth anniversary of Germany's basic research organization. Issued last week, the stamp shows founding members of the Max Planck Society (MPS) with computer-coded images representing some of the scientific advances they pioneered: an X-ray picture of the Moon, an ion trap and a goldfish nerve.

The society was founded in 1948, despite resistance at the time from the United States to the post-fascist Germany being allowed to undertake research. It succeded the Kaiser Wilhelm Society — itself founded in 1911 but discredited and eventually closed because of its participation in the nationalist aims of the Nazis.