The invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century, attributed to Johannes Gutenberg, revolutionized the spread of knowledge and information. It allowed for the mass production of written materials, significantly reducing the cost and time of book production. Consequently, literacy rates increased as books became more accessible to a broader audience, leading to the spread of new ideas, particularly during the Renaissance and the Reformation. This proliferation of printed material fostered educated public discourse, enabled the dissemination of scientific knowledge, and challenged existing religious and political authority, ultimately laying the groundwork for modern democracies.