Science Factsheet – Carl Linnaeus
Name: Carl Linnaeus
Field of science: Natural science
Born: 23rd May 1707 in the village of Råshult in southern Sweden, died 10th January, 1778
Best known for: Devising the formal two-part naming system we use to classify all life forms i.e. animals and plants. It’s called the Linnaean or binomial taxonomy system.
Anything else? Systema Naturae – the first serious attempt ever made to document all of our planet’s species. It was a huge effort: Linnaeus took the apparently chaotic natural world and organized it, making it easier for everyone to grasp it and understand it.
Any famous quotes? Never one for modesty, Linnaeus once said of himself, “No one has been a greater botanist or zoologist. No one has written more books, more correctly, more methodically, from personal experience. No one has more completely changed a whole science and started a new epoch.”
You may not know: Linnaeus is sometimes referred to as Princeps botanicorum (Prince of Botanists), and “The Second Adam”.
References:
Naturhistoriska riksmuseet. Carl Linnaeus.
