The binomial system of classification for biological organisms was developed by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century. Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, is often referred to as the ‘father of taxonomy.’ In his work, he introduced a standardized method for naming organisms using two Latin names: the genus name and the species name. For example, humans are classified as Homo sapiens, where ‘Homo‘ is the genus and ‘sapiens‘ is the species.
This system was revolutionary because it provided a clear and consistent way to name and categorize living things, simplifying the identification process for scientists and ensuring that each species had a unique name. By using Latin, which was the scholarly language of his time, Linnaeus ensured that the naming system could be understood across different languages and regions, allowing for better communication in the scientific community.