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Albert Hoffmann

Albert Hoffmann

Swiss chemist and writer, widely known as the "father" of LSD.

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Swiss chemist known best for being the first known person to synthesize, ingest, and learn of the psychedelic effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Hofmann was also the first person to isolate, synthesize, and name the principal psychedelic mushroom compounds psilocybin and psilocin. He authored more than 100 scientific articles and numerous books, including LSD: Mein Sorgenkind (LSD: My Problem Child).

In 2007, he shared first place with Tim Berners-Lee in a list of the 100 greatest living geniuses, published by The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Albert Hofmann was born in Baden, Switzerland on 11 January 1906. He was the first of four children to factory toolmaker Adolf Hofmann and his wife Elisabeth (née Schenk) and was baptized Protestant. When his father became ill, Hofmann obtained a position as a commercial apprentice in concurrence with his studies. At the age of 20, Hofmann began his chemistry degree at the University of Zürich, finishing three years later, in 1929. Owing to his father's low income, Albert's godfather paid for his education. Hofmann's main interest was the chemistry of plants and animals, and he later conducted important research on the chemical structure of the common animal substance chitin, for which he received his doctorate with distinction in 1929.

I think that in human evolution it has never been as necessary to have this substance LSD, it is just a tool to turn us into what we are supposed to be.

Timeline

November 16, 1938
Hofmann first synthesized LSD

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Further Resources

Title
Author
Link
Type
Date

Albert Hofmann: LSD, My Problem Child · Index

https://web.archive.org/web/19970618092810/http://www.lycaeum.org/books/books/my_problem_child/

Web

Hofmann's Potion

National Film Board of Canada

http://www.nfb.ca/film/hofmanns_potion/

Web

2002

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Person attributes

Birthdate
December 11, 1906
Birthplace
Baden, Switzerland
Baden, Switzerland
Date of Death
April 29, 2008
Place of Death
Burg im Leimental
Burg im Leimental
Nationality
Switzerland
Switzerland

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