Printing Technology Advancement

Printing was originally performed from wood presses until the mid 15th century when Johannes Gutenburg invented a printing press from a combination of metals using oil based ink. This made printing a much smoother, accurate and affordable alternative to existing technologies and the culture ramifications of this invention were enormous. The printing press was voted the most important invention over the last millennia by Life magazine as it allowed the mass distribution of printed material, tearing control of knowledge away from the scholastic regime and became one of the main contributors to the Enlightenment movement in the 17th and 18th centuries.