Final answer:
In binomial nomenclature, the correct formatting for a scientific name is to italicize both words, capitalize only the first word, which is the genus name, and keep the specific epithet (second word) in lowercase.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct way to format a two-word scientific name is to italicize both words, capitalize the first word, and keep the second word in lowercase. For example, the scientific name for modern humans would be written as Homo sapiens. This system of nomenclature is known as binomial nomenclature and it is the universal system for naming species. It consists of a genus name (which is capitalized) and a specific epithet (which is lowercase).