Lecture Synopsis: Linus Pauling and Vitamin C

This is a synopsis of the lecture I presented at Rice on the subject of pseudoscience.

I owe the idea for my delivering this lecture to tongodeon, who posted brilliantly on this subject a year or so ago. Prior to reading his posting, I had only a dim knowledge that Vitamin C and Linus Pauling were linked at all, in a vaguely controversial manner. Reading that posting intrigued me regarding this piece of the history of science.

Earlier this year the opportunity arose for me to deliver a guest lecture at my alma mater of Rice University. The class covers pseudoscience and the ways that society creates beliefs that attempt to parallel science. It's a neat class and I'm glad I had the opportunity to lecture. The group was quite lively and interactive, except for the one guy who fell asleep -- but hey, this is Rice, and if only one person falls asleep in your class, that's a win.

( The lecture.... )