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Linus Pauling

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Scientist

The Resume

    (February 28, 1901-August 19, 1994)
    Born in Portland, Oregon
    Described chemical bonding and molecular structures
    Wrote 'The Nature of the Chemical Bond' (1939), 'General Chemistry' (1949), 'No More War!' (1958), 'Vitamin C and the Common Cold' (1970), 'Vitamin C and Cancer' (1979) and 'How to Live Longer and Feel Better' (1986)
    Founded the Linus Pauling Institute of Science and Medicine (1973)
    Won Nobel Prizes for Chemistry (1954) and Peace (1962)

Why he might be annoying:

    The Caltech chemistry department was so wary of his political views that they did not formally congratulate him on winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
    Robinson received an out-of-court settlement from the Institute that included $425,000 for slander and libel (1983).
    Life magazine called his victory 'a weird insult from Norway.'
    He advocated taking massive doses of vitamin C (up to 100 times the recommended daily allowance) to ward off colds and cancer.
    Coincidentally, the largest contributor to the Linus Pauling Institute is the pharmaceutical company Hoffman-LaRoche, the largest producer of synthetic vitamin C.
    After clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic showed no benefit from megadoses of vitamin C for cancer patients, he denounced the results as 'fraud and deliberate misrepresentation.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was married to Ava Helen Miller for 59 years until her death.
    His opposition to nuclear testing led the State Department to deny him a passport until just before the ceremonies for his first Nobel Prize.
    He received his second Nobel Prize the day the US-Soviet treaty banning atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons went into effect.
    He was the first (and as of 2008 only) person to receive two unshared Nobel Prizes.
    He pointed out that health food stores charging more for 'organic' vitamin C were ripping off customers since 'natural' and 'synthetic' vitamin C are identical molecules.
    Albert Einstein called him 'one of the most inventive scientists of this century.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 19 Votes: 42.11% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 24 Votes: 45.83% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 33 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 35 Votes: 45.71% Annoying