Gutenberg's Printing Press

Movable type arrives in Europe, shattering the Church's monopoly on knowledge and enabling the information revolution.

Johannes Gutenberg's printing press made books affordable and widespread for the first time in European history. Within 50 years, over 20 million volumes had been printed.

Perspective

This is the most underrated invention in history. Without the printing press, no Reformation, no Scientific Revolution, no Enlightenment. Every major transformation that follows depends on the ability to spread ideas faster than authorities can suppress them. Sound familiar?