Max Planck (April 23, 1858 - October 4, 1947) was a human physicist considered to be the founder of quantum theory.

During his research, Planck conjectured the smallest measurable distance (a Planck length), and from that derived the smallest possibly measurable unit of time using the speed of light in a vacuum; this measurement was called the Planck time. (TNG reference: Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual)

In 2258, in an alternate reality, James T. Kirk named Planck among the famous physicists of the past. (TOS novelization: Star Trek)