Linus Pauling - Chemistry Quotes

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It has been recognized that hydrogen bonds restrain protein molecules to their native configurations, and I believe that as the methods of structural chemistry are further applied to physiological problems it will be found that the significance of the hydrogen bond for physiology is greater than that of any other single structural feature.

Linus Pauling
We may, I believe, anticipate that the chemist of the future who is interested in the structure of proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, and other complex substances with high molecular weight will come to rely upon a new structural chemistry, involving precise geometrical relationships among the atoms in the molecules and the rigorous application of the new structural principles, and that great progress will be made, through this technique, in the attack, by chemical methods, on the problems of biology and medicine.

Linus Pauling
Just think of the differences today. A young person gets interested in chemistry and is given a chemical set. But it doesn't contain potassium cyanide. It doesn't even contain copper sulfate or anything else interesting because all the interesting chemicals are considered dangerous substances. Therefore, these budding young chemists don't get a chance to do anything engrossing with their chemistry sets. As I look back, I think it is pretty remarkable that Mr. Ziegler, this friend of the family, would have so easily turned over one-third of an ounce of potassium cyanide to me, an eleven-year-old boy.

Linus Pauling
Every aspect of the world today — even politics and international relations — is affected by chemistry.

Linus Pauling
Chemistry is wonderful! I feel sorry for people who don't know anything about chemistry. They are missing an important source of happiness.

Linus Pauling
There is more to chemistry than an understanding of general principles. The chemist is also, perhaps even more, interested in the characteristics of individual substances — that is, of individual molecules.

Linus Pauling