Carl Linnaeus was born on May 23, 1707, in Rashult in southern Sweden. His father Nils was a Lutheran pastor with a passion for gardening.

The family moved to Stenbrohult where young Carl learned the names of plants from his father in the parsonage garden.

Linnaeus was sent to school in Vaxjo but showed little interest in formal studies, preferring to collect plants.

Linnaeus enrolled at Lund University to study medicine, as botany was then considered part of medical education.

Seeking better botanical resources, Linnaeus transferred to Uppsala University, Sweden's most prestigious institution.

Though still a student, Linnaeus began giving lectures on botany that attracted large audiences.

Linnaeus undertook a five-month expedition to Lapland, traveling nearly 4,600 miles to study Arctic flora.

Linnaeus led an expedition to Dalarna, where he met and became engaged to Sara Elisabeth Moraea.

Linnaeus published the first edition of Systema Naturae, introducing his system of binomial nomenclature for naming all organisms.

Linnaeus obtained his medical degree from the University of Harderwijk with a dissertation on malaria.

After three years abroad, Linnaeus returned to Sweden and married Sara Elisabeth Moraea.

Linnaeus was appointed Professor of Medicine and Botany at Uppsala University, transforming the botanical garden.

Linnaeus published Flora Suecica, comprehensively cataloging Swedish plants using his binomial system.

Linnaeus published Species Plantarum, listing all known plant species. This is considered the starting point of modern botanical nomenclature.

King Adolf Frederick ennobled Linnaeus as Carl von Linne, recognizing his contributions to Swedish science.

The tenth edition extended binomial nomenclature to animals, including humans as Homo sapiens. This is the starting point for zoological nomenclature.

Linnaeus suffered strokes that progressively impaired his health and memory.

Carl Linnaeus died on January 10, 1778. Known as the 'Father of Modern Taxonomy,' his binomial nomenclature system remains the foundation of biological classification.