Linnean Society of London

Founded in 1788, the Linnean Society of London is the world's oldest active biological society and one of the historic homes of natural history. It was established by the botanist Sir James Edward Smith, who acquired the collections of Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish scientist whose work laid the foundations of modern taxonomy.

Over the years, the society has become known for its meetings, publications, and remarkable collections of books, manuscripts, and specimens. It is especially remembered as the place where papers by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace on evolution by natural selection were first presented in 1858.

Today, the society continues to support science, education, and the study of biodiversity from its home at Burlington House in London. For listeners interested in the history of science, it offers a window into how ideas about the living world were gathered, debated, and shared.