In 1938, a Swiss chemist named Albert Hofmann created a compound called LSD-25.

Nobody thought much about it.

The company shelved it, and it sat there for years.

Then something strange happened.

Hofmann couldn't stop thinking about it.

What followed would become one of the most unusual stories of the twentieth century—a story involving accidental discovery, secret government experiments, the counterculture of the 1960s, Silicon Valley, and humanity's endless fascination with consciousness itself.

In this episode of Rosenberg, we explore how a forgotten laboratory compound escaped into the wider world and became one of the most influential and controversial substances in modern history.

Topics discussed:

• Albert Hofmann
• Bicycle Day
• LSD-25
• MKUltra
• The CIA
• Counterculture
• Consciousness
• Psychology
• Silicon Valley
• Steve Jobs
• The history of psychedelics

History • Technology • Culture • Society

Rosenberg is an audio-first exploration of the stories, ideas, and historical moments that shape how we understand ourselves and the world around us.

Today we think of the printing press as one of humanity's greatest inventions.

But when it first appeared, many people feared it.

Some worried about misinformation. Others feared job loss. Some believed it threatened society itself.

In this episode, Rosenberg explores how the fears surrounding the printing press sound surprisingly similar to today's anxieties about artificial intelligence.

Topics discussed:

• Johannes Gutenberg
• Medieval scribes
• Technological change
• Artificial intelligence
• Human psychology
• Media history
• The fear of innovation

History • Technology • Culture • Society

Rosenberg is an audio-first exploration of the ideas, inventions, and forces that shape human behavior.

New episodes explore history, media, technology, psychology, and culture through thoughtful storytelling and commentary.

Most people think the attention economy began with social media.

It didn't.

In this first episode of Rosenberg, we explore how newspapers transformed from political tools into commercial businesses competing for attention. Along the way, we look at how media shapes our understanding of the world, why shared stories matter, and what the rise of newspapers can teach us about today's digital platforms.

From nineteenth-century publishers to modern algorithms, the technology has changed—but the business remains the same.

The business is attention.

Topics discussed:

 • History of newspapers
 • The attention economy
 • Walter Lippmann
 • Benedict Anderson
 • Neil Postman
 • Media history
 • Communication
 • Social media and algorithms
 • Human behavior

Rosenberg explores history, media, psychology, communication, and human behavior through thoughtful audio storytelling.