The Life of Linus Pauling

The 20th century was filled with advancements in science and technology as chemists rapidly began introducing new techniques and discoveries into the world. Linus Carl Pauling is one of the most well recognized scientists of the 1900’s as his assortment of knowledge spread across many topics of science. Pauling was born in Portland, Oregon where he was forced to begin working at a young age of twelve due to his father’s death when he was merely nine. Although Pauling was often preoccupied with family responsibilities, he quickly realized his interest in the field of science. In 1922 Pauling finished his schooling at Oregon Agricultural College in Corvallis with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. To quote a biography written by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, Linus was “a remarkable man who insistently addressed certain crucial human problems while pursuing an amazing array of scientific interests, Dr. Pauling was almost as well known to the American public as he was to the world’s scientific community” (n.p., n.d.). It is apparent that Linus Carl Pauling is glorified as one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century, because he had a historical impact in science, an effect on society, and a personal impact on everyone around him.

Historical Impact

From an early age Pauling served as an example of success for his peers, often offering as a teacher to recently taken classes while he was in school (Simoni, 2003). To give a perspective into the accomplishments of Pauling’s career, he is currently the sole person to be given two Nobel Prizes; the Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1954) and the Nobel Prize for Peace (1962). Pauling published a General Chemistry book that has been used by various programs...

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... knowledge that encompasses a multitude of topics of science. Pauling spoke out for what he believed in and did not let his beliefs be shaped by societal customs, as I also hope to do on an everyday basis. There are many current societal issues that are present in the world today and I will make sure, similar to Linus Pauling, to speak out about my beliefs and try and make a difference.

Works Cited

Goertzel, Ted George, and Ben Goertzel. "Introduction." Linus Pauling: a life in science and

Politics. New York: Basic Books, 1995. 13. Print.

Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2013.

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Simoni, Robert, Robert Hill, Martha Vaughan, and Herbert Tabor. "Linus Pauling: Scientist and

Social Activist." THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 278.51 (2003): e3. Jbc.org. Web. 5 Dec. 2013.