Scientists Finally Found the Psychedelic Source of LSD

2. Albert Hofmann’s Groundbreaking Synthesis

In 1943, while re-examining LSD, Hofmann accidentally absorbed the compound through his skin. He soon experienced vivid hallucinations, marking the world’s first intentional LSD trip—an event now celebrated as Bicycle Day. This serendipitous discovery stunned scientists and fueled questions about how such potent psychedelic effects could originate from a simple fungus, igniting a scientific search for LSD’s natural source in the decades that followed.