Pauling, Linus Carl

▪ 1995

      U.S. chemist (b. Feb. 28, 1901, Portland, Ore.—d. Aug. 19, 1994, Big Sur, Calif.), was a towering figure in the scientific community and the only solo winner of two Nobel Prizes in different categories. He was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for discoveries on the nature of chemical bonding, work that was instrumental in describing the structure and shape of molecules, including the complex molecules of living tissues, and he received the 1962 Nobel Prize for Peace as a tireless crusader against the use of warfare, especially nuclear weapons, as a means of resolving international disputes. Pauling, the son of a pharmacist, shared his father's fascination with chemistry. After earning a B.S. (1922) in chemical engineering from Oregon State Agricultural College, Pauling took a Ph.D. (1925) in physical chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, where he taught and conducted research until 1963. An insightful and brilliant researcher who easily recognized interrelationships, Pauling was the first to apply the principles of quantum mechanics to the structure of molecules and effectively used a variety of data to calculate the lengths and angles of the bonds that exist between the atoms in a molecule and ultimately to develop a theoretical framework for understanding the forces that hold atoms together. He put forth his findings in The Nature of the Chemical Bond, and the Structure of Molecules and Crystals (1939), undoubtedly the most influential chemistry textbook of the early to mid-20th century.

      Pauling was also a leader in the movement against nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and '60s. During the McCarthy era of communist witch-hunts, Pauling's passport was revoked for two years. He also submitted an anti-bomb-testing petition to the UN with the signatures of more than 11,000 scientists, a move that was credited with helping to persuade the U.S., U.K., and Soviet Union to initial the 1963 atmospheric test ban treaty. His pacifist views were echoed in his denunciation of the Vietnam War, a stand for which he was widely criticized. He aroused controversy during the 1970s with his zealous advocacy of vitamin C, taken in large doses, as a cure-all for a variety of conditions, ranging from the common cold to cancer. His bold experimentation and courage in pursuing unorthodox ideas led him to discoveries in molecular biology, notably the identification of the genetic defect in the hemoglobin molecule that is the cause of sickle-cell anemia. He was at the forefront in efforts to unravel the structure of DNA, a feat ultimately accomplished by James Watson and Francis Crick. During his remarkable career, Pauling was a member of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, Santa Barbara, Calif., a faculty member of Stanford University, and, at the time of his death, director of research at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine, Palo Alto, Calif.

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