In 1943, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann made a sensational discovery with far-reaching consequences, entirely by accident. He stumbled upon a peculiar chemical substance: lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD. The drug has a powerful hallucinogenic effect on the human brain. Hofmann's discovery not only caught the attention of scientists, the military and psychiatrists but also made the young flower power crowd dreaming of a revolution sit up and take notice. Captivating and with plenty of visual flair, The Substance recounts the engrossing history of LSD, from the day of its discovery up to today.