The invention during the Renaissance that revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge was the printing press, developed by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440. This groundbreaking technology made it possible to produce books more efficiently and in greater quantities than ever before. As a result, written materials became more accessible to the general populace, which facilitated the spread of ideas, literacy, and education. The printing press played a critical role in the Renaissance by enabling the rapid dissemination of Renaissance humanism, scientific discoveries, and religious texts, thereby transforming culture and society in Europe.