Linus Pauling, the Greatest Chemist of the 20th Century
Linus Carl Pauling, born February 28th, 1901, in Portland, Oregon, is widely considered one of the greatest (if not the greatest) chemist of the 20th century for his work across all fields of chemistry, ranging from biochemistry to quantum chemistry. Born to a line of Prussian farmers, Linus Pauling studied at Oregon State University, earning his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1922. However, Pauling’s interest in chemistry had begun long before then, as he was noted to have excelled in chemistry and mathematics throughout his school days, a proficiency for which he became notorious for throughout his community. His proficiency in chemistry was so impressive for that matter, that the Oregon State University appointed him a full-time teacher of quantitative analysis during his chemical engineering degree. He would then go on to earn his Ph.D in che...
