Humanity discovers something new every day, but not all discoveries are created equal. Every now and then a breakthrough comes along that completely changes the game. Something that jumpstarts progress at a rate never seen before. Something that changes the way we think about the structure of society.

Knowledge itself might not be a technology to be discovered, but the distribution of it certainly is. For thousands of years, if someone wanted to read something, someone else had to write it down. And if you wanted a second copy, well, someone had to write it all down again. But that all changed in 1440 when the printing press was invented. Instantly, knowledge could be shared on a level never before possible, and discovery of all kinds was made easier for it. 

Read about the printing press and 22 other crucial scientific and technological breakthroughs that instantly changed the world forever.