Recently, botanists voted to change the names of over 200 species that contained a racial slur related to the word “caffra. These changes are intended to remove offensive terminology and acknowledge Africa instead.

For example, the coast coral tree will now be officially called Erythrina affra instead of Erythrina caffra. It’s important to remember that scientific names have changed due to advancements in DNA technology and our understanding of genetic relationships. This is not, however, the case here. It has nothing to do with science and everything to do with cancel culture. Cultural appropriation has been prominent in almost every scientific field. Contemporary society may not consider that a good thing and no one in their right mind would use derogatory terms today. That does not, however, mean that we should erase our past to offer solace in the cancel age. Names, ideas, and inventions are part of a historical context that should remain intact—discussed and debated, perhaps, but not using modern views as an excuse to change the history of science.

It is not only unnecessary relabeling. What they’re doing is essentially erasing centuries of botanical culture. Common names and their corresponding scientific nomenclature are cultural ties to the cultural history of plants, not just translations of the scientific name in English or other languages. Removing them could be seen as a form of cultural erasure and isn’t helpful. 1984 is eerily present in contemporary society.