Science Communication through Philately

Nautilids and Ammonites Worldwide: The World of Cephalopods and Their Reflection in Philately. By Hans Ulrich Ernst and Christian Klug. 2011. Verlag Dr Friedrich Pfeil, Munich, Germany. (ISBN 9783899371291). Bilingual (German and English). 224 pp. Hardcover. $38.50. In the series Reflection in Philately , Friedrich Pfeil (Germany) has published the second issue on Nautilids and Ammonites eight years after the first on Trilobites by Hans Ulrich Ernst, an avid collector of paleontological stamps and the common author in both issues. Dr. Christian Klug, the coauthor of this book, is a paleontological expert from the Paleontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich. Both fossils and stamps are valued museum objects. The first record natural history, while the second record national history and resources. Both have the potential to record science history and, thus, play significant roles in science communication. A postage stamp can communicate a message, disseminate science information, and propagate science culture to the masses. Science-based stamps help to increase the potential of postage stamps beyond simple “collection materials” to valued sources of information. A postage stamp is a unique medium for science communication and can be a good teaching and learning aid. Utilizating postage stamp imagery as storyteller, the authors complement one another and present an appealing compilation of fossil stamps and postmarks scattered throughout the book. …