ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Scientific name

Okay kiddo, let me explain to you what a scientific name is! You know how we have names like "John" or "Sarah"? Well, animals and plants also have names, but they are not like our names. These names are special because they tell us exactly what type of animal or plant it is.

Scientific names are like a secret code that only scientists can understand. They are made up of two parts: the genus and species. The genus is like a big family, and the species is like a smaller group within that family.

For example, let's take the cat. Its scientific name is Felis catus. Felis is the genus, which means all cats are part of this family. The species is catus, which means domesticated cats that we have as pets. So when a scientist sees the name Felis catus, they know exactly what type of animal it is.

Scientists all around the world use scientific names to avoid confusion. They could be in different countries or speak different languages, but everyone can understand the scientific name of an animal or plant. So now you know, scientific names help scientists communicate about different living things!