Which tool was invented in 1454 that significantly impacted communication?

The printing press, invented in 1454 by Johannes Gutenberg, revolutionized communication by making the mass production of written materials possible. Before its invention, books and written documents were laboriously copied by hand, which made them expensive and relatively rare. With the introduction of the printing press, texts could be reproduced quickly and in larger quantities, vastly increasing access to information and literacy rates.

This innovation allowed for the democratization of knowledge, enabling more people to engage with ideas and literature than ever before. It laid the groundwork for the spread of the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution, shifting the way people communicated and shared ideas throughout society. The printing press thus stands as a pivotal development in the history of communication, influencing everything from education to politics, and shaping modern society as we know it.