The science and humanism of Linus Pauling (1901–1994)

Abstract

The versatile and outstanding contributions of Linus Pauling to the chemical sciences, including the biomedical consequences of radioactive fallout, were recognised by the award of two Nobel Prizes (1954 and 1963). Pauling's contributions in historical context are discussed under five headings: X-ray crystallography and theoretical chemistry; the nature of the chemical bond; biological chemistry; global fallout; and molecular medicine.