Johannes Gutenberg is credited with inventing the printing press in Europe around 1440. His innovative moveable type printing technology revolutionized the way information was disseminated and had a profound impact on society. By allowing multiple copies of texts to be produced quickly and at a lower cost, Gutenberg's press made literature, scientific works, and religious texts more accessible to the general populace. This innovation played a crucial role in the spread of the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the democratization of knowledge, significantly contributing to the cultural and intellectual transformation of Europe.