LSD which stands for Lysergic Diethylamide, is a potent psychedelic compound. It is gotten from ergot, a certain fungus that grows on Rye. Albert Hofmann first synthesized it in 1938 while working for Sandoz Laboratories, though he didn’t realize its power until 1943, when he accidentally absorbed a small amount and experienced the first LSD trip in history. 

LSD is active in micrograms (ug). An effective dose ranges between 100ug to 150ug. This makes it more potent than other hallucinogens. In simpler terms, it doesn’t create new thoughts so much as remove the filters that normally suppress certain patterns of thinking, which can feel like an expansion of consciousness.