Historical events timeline.
Linus Carl Pauling is born to Herman Henry William Pauling and Lucy Isabelle Darling in Portland, Oregon. #chemistry #biography
Pauling's father dies, leaving his mother to raise Linus and his two sisters. Pauling takes on odd jobs to help support the family. #biography
Pauling enrolls at Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University) to study chemical engineering. He works to pay his way through college. #education #chemistry
Pauling graduates with a degree in chemical engineering. He then pursues graduate studies at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). #education #chemistry
Pauling marries Ava Helen Miller, who later becomes a prominent peace activist and influences his political work. #biography
Pauling earns his Ph.D. with a thesis on the structure of crystals using X-ray diffraction, under the supervision of Roscoe G. Dickinson. #chemistry #education
Pauling receives a Guggenheim Fellowship to study in Europe, working with Arnold Sommerfeld in Munich, Erwin Schrödinger in Zurich, and Niels Bohr in Copenhagen. #science #chemistry
After his European tour, Pauling joins the Caltech faculty as an assistant professor of theoretical chemistry. #chemistry #biography
Pauling develops the theory of orbital hybridization to explain the geometry of chemical bonds, such as in methane. #chemistry #quantum
Pauling introduces the concept of electronegativity and develops a scale (Pauling scale) to quantify the tendency of atoms to attract electrons. #chemistry #electronegativity
Pauling receives the American Chemical Society's Langmuir Prize as the nation's most promising young chemist. #chemistry #award
At age 31, Pauling is elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the youngest ever. #chemistry #honors
Pauling extends Lewis's bonding theory with resonance structures, explaining the properties of molecules like benzene. #chemistry #quantum )
Pauling is appointed chairman of the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Caltech. #chemistry #academia
Pauling's seminal book 'The Nature of the Chemical Bond and the Structure of Molecules and Crystals' is published, summarizing his groundbreaking work. #chemistry #book
Pauling proposes a theory of antibody formation based on molecular complementarity, influencing immunology. #chemistry #biology
Pauling is diagnosed with a serious kidney disease; he adopts a low-protein diet and later experiments with vitamin C. #biography #health
During World War II, Pauling develops a synthetic plasma substitute using gelatin, saving many lives. #chemistry #medicine
Pauling is awarded the Presidential Medal for Merit by President Truman for his wartime contributions. #honors #chemistry
Pauling and his colleagues discover that sickle cell anemia is caused by an abnormal hemoglobin molecule (molecular disease concept). #chemistry #biology
Pauling and Robert Corey propose the alpha helix and beta sheet as the two principal protein secondary structures. #chemistry #biology
Pauling is denied a passport by the U.S. State Department for his anti-war activism, limiting his ability to travel. #activism #politics
Pauling receives the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 'for his research into the nature of the chemical bond and its application to the elucidation of the structure of complex substances.' #nobel #chemistry
Pauling joins other Nobel laureates in signing the Mainau Declaration, warning of the dangers of nuclear weapons. #activism #peace
Pauling submits a petition signed by 11,021 scientists from 49 countries to the United Nations calling for an end to nuclear weapons testing. #activism #nuclear
Pauling's book 'No More War!' outlines the dangers of nuclear fallout and calls for disarmament. #activism #book
Pauling becomes interested in the potential health benefits of high-dose vitamin C, later sparking a controversy. #health #medicine
Pauling receives the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to ban nuclear weapons testing. He is the only person to win two unshared Nobel Prizes. #nobel #peace
Pauling resigns from Caltech due to conflicts over his political activism and reduced scientific productivity. #academia #activism
Pauling takes a position at the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions in Santa Barbara, California. #activism #biography
Pauling becomes a professor of chemistry at UC San Diego. #chemistry #academia
Pauling joins Stanford University as a professor of chemistry. #chemistry #academia
Pauling's book promoting high-dose vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold becomes a bestseller and sparks widespread debate. #health #medicine
Pauling establishes the institute in Palo Alto, California, to continue his research on vitamin C and health. #research #health
Pauling becomes Professor Emeritus at Stanford but remains active as director of the Linus Pauling Institute. #biography #academia
Pauling and Cameron claim that high-dose vitamin C extends survival in terminal cancer patients, a controversial assertion. #health #cancer
Pauling is awarded the Lomonosov Gold Medal by the USSR Academy of Sciences for his contributions to chemistry. #honors #chemistry
Pauling receives the American Chemical Society's highest honor, the Priestley Medal. #chemistry #honors
Pauling's wife of 63 years, Ava Helen, dies. Her death deeply affects him. #biography
Pauling continues to advocate for orthomolecular medicine, focusing on the use of nutrients to treat disease. #health #medicine
Pauling is diagnosed with prostate cancer and treats himself with high-dose vitamins. #health #biography