Johannes Gutenberg introduces the printing press to Europe

Around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz developed a movable type printing press adapted from existing screw presses. By around 1455 he had produced the Gutenberg Bible — the first major book printed using this technology in Europe. The press dramatically reduced the cost of producing books, enabling the mass dissemination of ideas. It is widely credited as a key enabler of the Renaissance, the Protestant Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution.