The printing press, invented by **Johannes Gutenberg** in the mid-15th century, revolutionized the spread of knowledge. By making books and written materials more affordable and widely available, it ended the reliance on labor-intensive hand-copying. The printing press fueled the **Renaissance**, **Reformation**, and **Scientific Revolution** by enabling the rapid dissemination of ideas. It helped standardize texts, making education more accessible, and contributed to the rise of literacy. The mass production of books, including religious, scientific, and literary works, transformed the flow of information and democratized learning, laying the foundation for the modern knowledge-based society.