Used with
permission of Maiken Naylor, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA,
http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/sel/exhibits/stamps
The beginning of mathematics was primitive man's discovery of counting; adding one and one to make two is pictured on this stamp. Upon seeing two birds, an Egyptian makes the cerebral leap to count them on his fingers. This stamp is the first in a set of ten issued by Nicaragua in 1970 which features important mathematical formulas that changed the face of the earth. Besides showing the law, equation, or formula, the name of its originator, and an application, the reverse of each stamp is printed with a brief paragraph in Spanish explaining the significance of the formula and its far-reaching applications in modern life. Presumably the user can ponder this educational message while licking the stamp; whether the recipient would appreciate it or be aware of it is another matter. The illustrations contain a wealth of interesting detail, and the sci-philatelic sleuth can enjoy identifying the many clues and their relationship to the original formula.