Albert Hofmann

Albert Hofmann (11 January 1906 – 29 April 2008) was a Swiss scientist. He invented Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Hofmann wrote more than 100 scientific articles and a number of books, including LSD: My Problem Child (1979).

 Life 
Hofmann was born in Baden, Switzerland. He studied chemistry at the University of Zürich. His main interest was the chemistry of plants and animals, and he studied about the chemical structure of the common animal substance chitin. Hofmann worked at the pharmaceutical-chemical department of Sandoz Laboratories in Basel.

Five years after its first synthesis, he discovered by accident the psychedelic effects of LSD, after absorbing some through his fingertips on 16 April 1943. Three days later, he deliberately consumed 250 micrograms of LSD, and experienced far more intense effects. This was followed by a series of self-experiments. He first wrote about these experiments on 22 April of the same year.

He became director of the natural products department at Sandoz and went on studying hallucinogenic substances found in Mexican mushrooms and other plants used by the indigenous peoples. This led to the synthesis of psilocybin, the active agent of many magic mushrooms.

Hofmann called LSD "medicine for the soul".

He had a heart attack in his home in Burg im Leimental on 29 April 2008, and died at the age of 102.

 Other websites 
 Albert Hofmann (NNDB)
 Erowid: Albert Hofmann Vault
 Albert Hofmann Foundation
 MAPS ("Stanislav Grof interviews Dr. Albert Hofmann")

Category:1906 births
Category:2008 deaths
Category:Swiss chemists
Category:Swiss centenarians
Category:Baden District, Aargau
Category:People from Aargau