Nov 16, 2023

TODAY IN DESIGN 1938

A Psychedelic Breakthrough: The Synthesis of LSD.

On this day, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann synthesized Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, better known as LSD, for the first time. Initially intended as a medical drug, LSD would later become synonymous with the psychedelic movement of the 1960s, influencing not just science but culture, art, music, and design.

Though controversial, LSD's impact on creative fields was profound. It inspired a wave of psychedelic art characterized by vivid colors, swirling patterns, and a blend of abstraction and surrealism, mirroring the drug's hallucinatory effects. This style became a hallmark of the era, deeply influencing graphic design, fashion, and even the user interfaces of the emerging digital culture.

Here’s what’s happening today in design: Windows is now an app for Apple products; Deepfake fraud is up 3,000%; Should we be designing AI wearables?; 10X Designers gets first conference; Starship's second test flight tomorrow (maybe); Is now the time to get on side with AI?; Designing a better design conference; Understand analytics to understand users; Figma plug--in ensures legibility + accessibility; Whiteboard tool gets 'real'; Unsplash but make it AI; Inside design systems at Dropbox and Cash App; This type foundry imagines their type on an F1 helmet; Play-doh is the new medium; This artist has a thing for sneakers.