Who is Linus Pauling? Pauling was a chemist who researched DNA and how it impacts health.
The Birth of Curiosity
When Linus was born in 1901, no one realized he was destined for greatness. Though he was an avid reader from a young age, always curious about the ways of the world, he was not shown to have any exemplary talents until later on in life. Pauling began his studies at Oregon Agricultural College, but later went on to pursue his doctorate until the advisement of Roscoe G. Dickinson. His studies included quantum chemistry and biochemistry, though he was known to branch out into DNA studies as well. In fact, the more he learned, the more he seemed to want to learn.
The Achievements of Linus Pauling
What many people don’t realize is that many of the big discoveries in chemistr in the 1900s can be attributed to Pauling. Not only was he able to see the first hydrogen bonding analysis, but then he went on to become all the more engaged by the structure of molecules, how they are connected and how changes in these connections change the world. With about fifty papers to his name in the early 1900s alone, he is also credited with formulating Pauling’s Rules.
Other achievements include:
- Being awarded the Langmuir Prize in 1931.
- Introduced electronegativity in 1932.
- Creating the Pauling Electronegativity Scale to predict how molecules might bond with each other.
- Finding a link between using Vitamin C and the prevention of common colds.
While this is not an exhaustive list, and there are many Pauling resources which can give more details on his many achievements, it is reasonable to say that Pauling was a man who wanted to know how the world worked – and he did everything he could to find out more.