Linus Pauling
1901–1994 — USA
Era: Modern
Brilliance: 10/10 | Stewardship: 6/10 | Composite Index: 60
Only person to win two unshared Nobels. Chemistry and Peace.
"The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas."
Biography
Linus Pauling revolutionized chemistry by applying quantum mechanics to understand chemical bonds, earning the 1954 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His later advocacy for nuclear disarmament and peace earned him the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize, making him the only person to win two unshared Nobels. Though his controversial promotion of megadose vitamin C damaged his legacy, his fundamental contributions to chemical bonding remain foundational to modern chemistry.
Key Facts
- Discovered the nature of the chemical bond by applying quantum mechanics, fundamentally transforming chemistry
- Won Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1954) and Nobel Peace Prize (1962)—the only person to win two unshared Nobels
- Became a prominent anti-nuclear activist during the Cold War, helping achieve the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
- Later promoted megadose vitamin C therapy for cancer and colds, claims largely discredited by modern medicine
- Published over 1,200 scientific papers and authored influential textbooks that shaped chemistry education worldwide
Won two Nobels solo. Then spent decades chasing vitamin C.
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