Whose work explained the shape of the electron cloud in chemical bonds?

Linus Pauling’s research in the 1930s and 1940s revolutionized chemistry by explaining how atoms form bonds. He developed concepts such as hybridization and electronegativity, which helped explain molecular shape and reactivity. His approach made the behavior of molecules far more predictable. Pauling’s work earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 and made him one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century.