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person1930s-2008

Albert Hofmann

Summary

Albert Hofmann (1906–2008) was a Swiss chemist who first synthesized LSD-25 in 1938 and discovered its psychedelic properties in 1943. He also isolated psilocybin from magic mushrooms. He called LSD his 'problem child' and advocated for careful, spiritually-oriented psychedelic use.

Core Contribution

Synthesized LSD and isolated psilocybin—the two most significant psychedelic compounds in Western culture.

Key Spikes & Highlights

  • LSD
  • psychedelics
  • psilocybin
  • chemistry

Notable Works & Achievements

LSD: My Problem Child

Historical Influences

Organic chemistry tradition

Intellectual Lineage

Sandoz Laboratoriesorganic chemistry

Contemporaries & Peers

Timothy Leary Aldous Huxley

Minds Influenced

Psychedelic culture psychedelic therapy 1960s counterculture

Intellectual Posterity

No conceptual posterity found.

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