Carl von Linné

Born in Sweden in 1707, Carl von Linné—often known in Latin as Carolus Linnaeus—became one of the most influential naturalists in history. He studied medicine and botany and went on to teach at Uppsala University, where he trained students who helped spread his ideas across Europe and beyond.

He is especially remembered for developing the system of naming species with two-part Latin names, a method now called binomial nomenclature. His books, including Systema Naturae, aimed to organize the living world in a clear and practical way, giving scientists a shared language for describing plants, animals, and other organisms.

Linné was also an energetic traveler, collector, and observer of nature. Even centuries after his death in 1778, his work remains central to taxonomy—the science of classifying living things—and his influence can still be felt wherever species are studied and named.