Scientist Linus Pauling Biography
American Chemist, Peace Activist, Author, Famous for Vitamin C
Oct 23, 2009
Linus Pauling was a chemist, molecular biologist and peace activist. He worked for more understanding of proteins and vitamins, the nature of the chemical bonds that make life possible, and vitamins. He was a strong advocate of nuclear disarmament.
He has authored and co-authored many books and articles. One bestseller is about Vitamin C, How to Live Longer and Feel Better.
Life of Linus Pauling in a Nutshell
Linus Carl Pauling (1901-1994) was born in Portland, Oregon on February 28, 1901. The oldest of three children, his father was a pharmacist with ambitions for his children. However, his father died when young Linus was nine, and his mother financially struggled. He worked in between his studies to self-finance. But already, his love for chemistry, physics and mathematics stood supreme.
He studied in Europe and at the California Institute of Technology where he later became a professor. His work on the application of wave mechanics to molecular structure, detailed in his book The Nature of the Chemical Bond, (1939) was awarded by the Nobel Prize in chemistry in1954. This book was mainly based from Pauling's much earlier scientific papers on the nature of chemical bond.
A keen protagonist of nuclear disarmaments, he was awarded the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize. He was an advocate of large doses of vitamin C as a treatment for the common cold. He died August 19, 1994.
Pauling's acquaintances include Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Robert Oppenheimer, Francis Crick and James Watson.
Pauling and the Chemical Bonding
In 1931, Pauling wrote his most important scientific paper, "The Nature of the Chemical Bond." In chemistry language, he suggested that in order to create stronger bonds, atoms change the shapes of their waves into petal-shapes, a concept known as the "hybridization of orbitals."
He developed six key rules that enable scientists to predict chemical structure. Three of them are mathematical rules relating to the way electrons behave within bonds, the other three relate to the orbitals orientation in which the electrons move, and the relative positioning of the atomic nuclei. He insisted in lifting the three-dimensional space structures rather than the flat two-dimensions. Having been brought up in the era of a quantum understanding of science he was convinced that it was the best way of explaining the behavior of atoms.
Pauling and Molecular Biology
In 1934, with the world at war, Pauling began his attention to chemical biology. He applied to the Rockefeller Foundation for a three-year grant to study hemoglobin, the protein that transports oxygen in blood. By the late 1930s and 1940s, he worked on plasma substitutes that could be used to help suffering soldiers from blood loss due to wounds. President Truman awarded him the Presidential Medal of Merit for his wartime efforts.
Pauling proposed that the body immune system has antibodies that lock into invading particles like bacteria and other viruses by forming chemical bonds. He also took interest in sickle cell anemia, a disease in which blood fails to transport enough oxygen and the red cells become deformed. With his colleague, Harvey Itano, he showed that the disease was caused by genetic abnormality he referred to as a molecular disease. This led to more research in genetic research to cure genetic diseases.
Peace Activist Pauling
His understanding of biochemistry increased his concern about nuclear warfare. He researched the issue, looking into the impact of nuclear fallout on human health. His nuclear bomb tests had shocking results, indicating that everyone who was exposed was likely to have shortened lifespan.
As a part of his campaign he collected a petition containing the names of thousands of scientists from many countries who all called for a nuclear test ban. In 1958 he published his book, No More War. His efforts were instrumental in the signing of the partial nuclear test ban treaty in 1963. He got the 1961 Nobel Peace Prize.
Linus Pauling Honors and Awards
In his last years, Pauling spent research on "orthomolecular medicine" with focus on the benefits of Vitamin C to fight human diseases.
Aside from his Nobel prizes in chemistry and peace, Pauling has many other awards in recognition of his contributions. They include the Langmuir Prize from the American Chemical Society (1931,) national medals of merit, and memberships like the Royal Society of London, National Academy of Sciences.
Sources:
- Farndon, John, et al. The Great Scientists. Capella / Arcturus, 2005.
- Moore, Pete. E=MC2: The Great Ideas That Shaped Our World. London: Quintet Publishing, 2002.
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