Linus Pauling
Linus Pauling
Linus Carl Pauling was an American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, and educator. He published more than 1,200 papers and books, of which about 850 dealt with scientific topics. New Scientist called him one of the 20 greatest scientists of all time, and as of 2000, he was rated the 16th most important scientist in history. Pauling was one of the founders of the fields of quantum chemistry and molecular biology...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionScientist
Date of Birth28 February 1901
CityPortland, OR
CountryUnited States of America
[Instead of collecting stamps, he collected dictionaries and encyclopaedias:] Because you can learn more from them.
I try to identify myself with the atoms ... I ask what I would do If I were a carbon atom or a sodium atom.
If the structure that serves as a template (the gene or virus molecule) consists of, say, two parts, which are themselves complementary In structure, then each of these parts can serve as the mould for the production of a replica of the other part, and the complex of two complementary parts thus can serve as the mould for the production of duplicates of itself.
Like thousands of other boys, I had a little chemical laboratory in our cellar and think that some of our friends thought me a bit crazy.
There is no safe amount of radiation. Even small amounts do harm.
I believe that there is a greater power in the world than the evil power of military force, of nuclear bombs -- there is the power of good, of morality, of humanitarianism.
I like people. I like animals, too-whales and quail, dinosaurs and dodos. But I like human beings especially, and I am unhappy that the pool of human germ plasm, which determines the nature of the human race, is deteriorating.
[Professor Pauling] confesses that he had harboured the feeling that sooner or later he would be the one to get the DNA structure; and although he was pleased with the double-helix, he 'rather wished the idea had been his'.
The only sane policy for the world is that of abolishing war.
If you want to have good ideas you must have many ideas.
The power to destroy the world by the use of nuclear weapons is a power that cannot be used-we cannot accept the idea of such monstrous immmorality.
Do unto others 20% better than you would expect them to do unto you, to correct for subjective error.
Just one living cell in the human body is, more complex than New York City.
Man's great power of thinking, remembering, and communicating are responsible for the evolution of civilization.