World Taxonomist Appreciation Day
March 19 · Level 2 · #2007 of 2238
On this day people say thank you to the scientists who describe, name and classify living things. Without their work we would not know how many species share our planet or which of them need protection.
How it is celebrated: universities and museums talk about taxonomy, offer lectures and tours of collections and herbaria. Scientists share their favourite discoveries online, and nature fans try to identify a plant or an insect in their own backyard.
The two-word naming style used in science today, such as Homo sapiens, was popularised by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century.