Linus Carl Pauling
1901-1994
American Chemist
Linus Pauling is the only person to win two unshared Nobel prizes. His award in chemistry honored his work in elucidating protein structure, in particular the alpha helix. He was also honored for his leadership in opposing the development and use of nuclear weapons, which helped to assure the establishment of the 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Pauling is considered by many to be the greatest chemist of the twentieth century, credited with seminal work on the chemical bond, artificial plasma, an explanation of sickle cell anemia, and many other achievements.
Linus Pauling was born in Portland, Oregon, the son of a druggist. He was a curious and imaginative child. He loved to visit his uncle's house where he would spend hours lying on the floor reading encyclopedia articles. Pauling attended public elementary and high schools, but didn't get his high school diploma until 1963 because he lacked a civics course. He received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in 1922. He went on to study chemistry at the California Institute of Technology, where he engaged in experimental work on crystal structures and began theoretical investigations into the nature of chemical bonds. Pauling was awarded his Ph.D., summa cum laude, in 1925.
Thanks to a series of grants and awards, Pauling was able to continue his investigations with some of the most accomplished scientists in the world, including Arnold Sommerfeld (1868-1951), Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961), and Niels Bohr (1885-1962). He returned to CalTech as an Assistant Professor in 1927.
Pauling was the first to apply quantum mechanics to chemistry. In 1932, Pauling published The Nature of the Chemical Bond, an elegant and highly successful treatise on what he was learning. He developed the concept of electronegativity, and, in 1935, he described his valence bond method, which provided chemists with a practical way to approximate the structures and reactivities of materials. Over time, he began applying his theories to biological systems, investigating fragments of proteins called peptides and using what he learned to understand larger molecules. While lecturing at Cornell University in 1937, he became embroiled in a controversy regarding the structure of proteins. Pauling's proposal, that alpha helices were an important structural component, contradicted the "cyclo" theory of Dorothy Wrinch. Ultimately, a combination of theoretical work and experiments, including x-ray diffractions studies, established the alpha helix. It is for this work that Pauling won the 1954 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He is considered to be the father of molecular biology.
During World War II and shortly thereafter, Pauling was involved in defense work, contributing to many developments, including better rocket propellants, a device for measuring oxygen deficiencies (in aircraft and submarines), and a substitute for human blood serum. However, in 1946, he became associated with peace organizations and began a lifelong, vigorous opposition to atomic weapons. In particular, he pointed out the dangers of nuclear fallout, calculating estimates of radiation-induced genetic deformities and publicizing his results. In the face of government opposition, which included highlevel investigations and restrictions on travel, hecampaigned against nuclear testing. In 1958, he presented the United Nations with a petition signed by over 9,000 scientists protesting nuclear testing. This pressure contributed to the signing of the 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which ended above-ground testing by both the United States and the Soviet Union. In recognition of these efforts, Pauling was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962.
Pauling continued his contributions to science and peace throughout his life. He was esteemed as a teacher and an humanitarian, and is also known by many for his advocacy of vitamin C. In 1994, Pauling died at the age of 93.
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