Here's how it works:

* Genus: The first name is the genus, which is a group of closely related species.

* Species: The second name is the species, which is a specific type of organism within the genus.

For example, the scientific name for humans is *Homo sapiens*.

* Homo is the genus, which includes other extinct human species.

* sapiens is the species, which specifically refers to modern humans.

Binomial nomenclature was developed by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century and is still used today by scientists worldwide. It provides a standardized and unambiguous way to identify and classify organisms.