Carolus Linnaeus, the great eighteenth-century naturalist, named and classified more than twelve thousand species of plants and animals. As a physician, he saw the need for a clear and simple system of nomenclature and classification for plants used for medicine, and then went on to set himself an ambitious goal: naming all the living things in the world. His classification of humans as just another species of mammals was highly controversial; his use of a “sexual system” to classify plants based on their reproductive parts was outrageous. But the obstinate and outspoken scientist battled his critics fiercely, all the way to the Vatican. He also became a beloved teacher, leading eager students on rowdy field trips into forests and gardens. Today Linnaeus’s work is the basis of the classification system used by scientists worldwide. Author Anita Sanchez will discuss her research on Linnaeus’s life, who began his career as a curious little boy fascinated by the bugs and flowers in his father’s garden, and the process of writing a book for young readers about the great naturalist’s turbulent career.
