LSD Inventor Albert Hofmann Dead at Age 102

[Paregoric Kid]

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/04/lsd-inventor-al.html
Albert Hofmann, the pioneering Swiss chemist and advocate of psychedelics who discovered the hallucinogenic properties of LSD, died Tuesday. He was 102.

Hofmann reportedly died of a heart attack at his home in Basel, Switzerland.

Hofmann's most famous discovery happened on April 16, 1943. He was researching the synthesis of a lysergic acid compound, LSD-25, when he inadvertently absorbed a bit through his fingertips. Intrigued by the effect it had on his perception, Hofmann decided further exploration was warranted. Three days later, on April 19, he ingested 250 milligrams* of LSD, embarking on the first full-fledged acid trip. That day became known among LSD fans as "bicycle day" because Hofmann began experiencing the drug's intense effects on his bicycle trip home from the lab.

In his autobiography, LSD, My Problem Child, Hofmann remembered his discovery this way:

"In a dreamlike state, with eyes closed (I found the daylight to be unpleasantly glaring), I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors. After some two hours this condition faded away."

The experience led Hofmann to begin experimenting with other hallucinogens and he became an advocate of their use, in both the arenas of psychoanalysis and personal growth. He was critical of LSD's casual use by the counterculture during the '60s, accusing rank amateurs of hijacking the drug he still refers to as "medicine for the soul" without understanding either its positive or negative effects.

In a celebration of Hofmann's 100th birthday in 2006, Hofmann told the crowd of well-wishers -- which included 2,000 researchers, scientists, artists and historians -- that "LSD wanted to tell me something. It gave me an inner joy, an open mindedness, a gratefulness, open eyes and an internal sensitivity for the miracles of creation."

Hofmann was also the first scientist to synthesize psilocybin, the active ingredient in psilocybin mushrooms, in 1958.

*That's micrograms NOT milligrams! Yeah, ya just never know when some nostalgic UCBerkley professor stumbles upon a few grams of LSD tartrate crystals and doesn't stop to think how that couldn't fit on a small piece of paper...

[smokedogg313]

wow, had no idea he was still alive.... RIP to a great man....

[EleusisII]

RIP indeed!
One of the great ones...

There's something about these docs though. Leo Sternbach, the inventor of valium and klonopin, died two years ago aged 97... Must be all them drugs methinks!

[jdub]

I was gonna post this but was lazy.
RIP to a great man. I took 4 hits on Sat nite and had so much fun. That man's discovery has changed many people's lives for the better.


RIP Albert. Everyone hop on your bikes and take a psychedelic ride around the block!

[Uncle Wiggly]

Man, what a long life. I wish him a wonderful final trip. His discovery made my teenage years some of the most interesting of my life. :D

[NeedleStreak]

A great man has died. It is a true loss to the world for the discoverer of such a profound substance to have passed away. Hoffman might not have understood the ripples of consequences that would travel out into the world after that fateful bike ride of his, but he sure knew that he had something powerful on his hands that needed to be shared with the world. I'm gonna dose up and rewatch all the tapped interviews I have of Hoffman ASAP to commemorate the end of an epic life.

Peace

[SurfRat]

He was way cool.

[jonny-5]

yes a great man indeed.

[robojunkie]

Yes, a great innovator and role model in my profession, one who better damn well get a serious fucking mention in the society mag. They will get a pissed the fuck off letter if they don't put up at least a page. Not just the whole LSD thing but he was working very meticulously with submilligram quantities of very limited natural products, for which there were absolutely no total syntheses or other known (at the time) sources, not to mention this was very relatively early in his career and right smack in the middle of World War II at the time. I always think of that when I think of that profound bike ride, strolling along the river, such a nice relaxing day on this freakish oasis in the middle of hell, probably close enough to hear distant echoes of allied bomber runs at the time. Wow, like tripping hard in a securely locked sensory deprivation tank disguised as a gas chamber in the middle of a supermax prison riot, only a million times more epically powerful.

Think about that shit, you are the first human to experience this most powerful (easily, IMO) of the psychedelics, and doing it by chance, experiencing all the beautiful sensory effects of nature, yet possibly hearing and sensing on people's faces and demeanors and the general atmosphere and most of all knowing that millions of people are blasting the ever living shit out of everyone else in the most total of total wars ever fought, knowing every single country in Europe but yours (and Ireland, for once we got lucky!) was being ripped apart, yet knowing you are completely safe in this magical bubble of diplomacy and skillful negotiation, but also knowing its all just so fucked up beyond all comprehension!

Nonetheless, if my time machine and inter-person-al mind jumper both worked, I'd be him for that day without question!

[jdub]

Yes, a great innovator and role model in my profession, one who better damn well get a serious fucking mention in the society mag. They will get a pissed the fuck off letter if they don't put up at least a page. Not just the whole LSD thing but he was working very meticulously with submilligram quantities of very limited natural products, for which there were absolutely no total syntheses or other known (at the time) sources, not to mention this was very relatively early in his career and right smack in the middle of World War II at the time. I always think of that when I think of that profound bike ride, strolling along the river, such a nice relaxing day on this freakish oasis in the middle of hell, probably close enough to hear distant echoes of allied bomber runs at the time. Wow, like tripping hard in a securely locked sensory deprivation tank disguised as a gas chamber in the middle of a supermax prison riot, only a million times more epically powerful.

Think about that shit, you are the first human to experience this most powerful (easily, IMO) of the psychedelics, and doing it by chance, experiencing all the beautiful sensory effects of nature, yet possibly hearing and sensing on people's faces and demeanors and the general atmosphere and most of all knowing that millions of people are blasting the ever living shit out of everyone else in the most total of total wars ever fought, knowing every single country in Europe but yours (and Ireland, for once we got lucky!) was being ripped apart, yet knowing you are completely safe in this magical bubble of diplomacy and skillful negotiation, but also knowing its all just so fucked up beyond all comprehension!

Nonetheless, if my time machine and inter-person-al mind jumper both worked, I'd be him for that day without question!

I have often thought about that. The context in which he discovered LSD is really interesting. Maybe it was cosmic destiny/ karma or whatever you want to call it; that this powerful mind-altering and psyche-exploring tool was borne of the chaos and violence of World War II.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and all that.

I hope that made some sense. Screen is blurry and I should be asleep.

[Uncle Wiggly]

Some of the greatest discoveries have been made while trying to invent something totally different. At the moment my mind is a total blank but I know there are quite a few of those, "Whoa - What in the hell did I just make" kind of moments.

[jab]

Very well said.

RIP and my condolences to his familly.. he was great man and a true pioneer.

Yes, a great innovator and role model in my profession, one who better damn well get a serious fucking mention in the society mag. They will get a pissed the fuck off letter if they don't put up at least a page. Not just the whole LSD thing but he was working very meticulously with submilligram quantities of very limited natural products, for which there were absolutely no total syntheses or other known (at the time) sources, not to mention this was very relatively early in his career and right smack in the middle of World War II at the time. I always think of that when I think of that profound bike ride, strolling along the river, such a nice relaxing day on this freakish oasis in the middle of hell, probably close enough to hear distant echoes of allied bomber runs at the time. Wow, like tripping hard in a securely locked sensory deprivation tank disguised as a gas chamber in the middle of a supermax prison riot, only a million times more epically powerful.

Think about that shit, you are the first human to experience this most powerful (easily, IMO) of the psychedelics, and doing it by chance, experiencing all the beautiful sensory effects of nature, yet possibly hearing and sensing on people's faces and demeanors and the general atmosphere and most of all knowing that millions of people are blasting the ever living shit out of everyone else in the most total of total wars ever fought, knowing every single country in Europe but yours (and Ireland, for once we got lucky!) was being ripped apart, yet knowing you are completely safe in this magical bubble of diplomacy and skillful negotiation, but also knowing its all just so fucked up beyond all comprehension!

Nonetheless, if my time machine and inter-person-al mind jumper both worked, I'd be him for that day without question!

[More Feen]

Hey everyone, the man who invented/ first synthesized LSD has passed away. He reached the ripe old-age of 102 years--not too bad.

If you have never read his first-hand accounts of the first LSD trip, it is worth-while to do so.

If you ever had any profound insight during a trip; one that made your life, or your understanding of life that much more enjoyable, you may wish to thank this chemist for all the good & positive things LSD has brought to so many people.

For those yahoos who thought that they could fly while tripping, well, they should have started from the ground instead of the 10th story.

MF

[aj11]

anyone heard about using rye bread and yeast adn ornage oj to make some lsd spores

[WarmCyanide]

anyone heard about using rye bread and yeast adn ornage oj to make some lsd spores

ergot. i think ergot to ergotamine

[Paregoric Kid]

ergotamine is found in ergot/claviceps fungi. ergine, isoergine, ergometrine can be found in Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds. the alkaloid content of ergot fungi includes: ergotamine, ergosine and Beta-ergosine, ergonine, ergovaline, ergostine, ergoptine and Beta-ergotine, ergocornine, ergocristine, ergocryptine and Beta-ergocryptinea

[insaneike]

That man was one of the most amazing ppl ever.. He seriously deserves a big long televised show on all his accomplishments on TV in his memory... The man was truly a genius. He was so smart and one the ppl who actually had a real mind in his head and wasn't always doing psychedelics or drugs with the intention of 'getting fucked up' or 'high'.

Thank you for all your success and research and inventing one of the strongest hallucinogens, most deff the funnest and most life changing(for me).


RIP ALBERT!

:abduct:

[Paregoric Kid]

you know what is weird is that just a night or two before he died the history channel or discovery had a show on psychedelics and covered LSD and Hofmann. it also covered a lot about Schultes and even mentioned Burroughs during their time in South America searching for yage.