Linus Pauling

Linus Pauling applied quantum mechanics to chemical bonding, then carried structural chemistry into biology: in 1949 he and colleagues showed sickle-cell anaemia was caused by an abnormal haemoglobin molecule, the first molecular disease, and in 1951 he proposed the alpha helix in proteins. He won Nobel prizes in chemistry and peace. His later claims for megadoses of vitamin C were not supported by evidence, a caution about expertise travelling too far.