Linus Pauling “Abolishing War” Nobel cover

Linus Pauling (1901 - 1994) was an American chemist and peace activist, and is the only person in history to have won two unshared Nobel Prizes.

During the Manhattan Project, Robert Oppenheimer invited him to lead the Chemistry division of the project, which Pauling declined. The Manhattan Project, however, had a life-changing effect on Pauling. He became a peace activist and joined the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists, chaired by Albert Einstein, to warn the public about the dangers of the development of nuclear weapons.

This cover by Joshua McGee depicts a white dove emerging from a mushroom cloud. Linus Pauling's two Nobel Prize medallions are overlaid with a quote from Pauling: "The only sane policy for the world is that of abolishing war."

Linus Pauling was featured in the "American Scientists" issue, and on this cover is paired with a 13¢ Chemistry stamp and cancelled in Peace Valley, Missouri.