On Friday 19 August, Nobel prizewinner Linus Pauling died. In addition to his considerable contribution to science he was known for upholding the concept that science should be used as an instrument for peace and social equality. While this principle may be self-evident to readers of this bulletin, to voice it loudly and clearly during the McCarthy era, as he did, required no little courage.
Since there is an obituary notice further on in this bulletin, I merely want to add my personal remembrances. I met him only once, at a small conference in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. He was already over 80 at the time but appeared much younger, and was very confident and bold in the peace statement that he put forward at that meeting. But when we talked outside of the sessions, it was always about science. A measure of his liveliness and greatness was his keen interest in everything and everybody he didn’t previously know. His spirit of peace was infectious and remains as a legacy that we all inherit.
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