The modern system of naming species was established by a single 1758 book

Before the mid-18th century, the naming of animals was a chaotic exercise in regional dialects and long, descriptive Latin phrases. In 1758, Carl Linnaeus published the tenth edition of 'Systema Naturae,' introducing binomial nomenclature—the two-part naming system using a genus and a species name. This single book organized the animal kingdom into hierarchical ranks: Class, Order, Genus, and Species, providing a universal language for scientists worldwide.