Free Knowledge Culture Calendar/November 22

Today in 1454 Johannes Gutenberg printed his first dateable (and profitable) print product: one of thousands of indulgences. The ability to serve the religious market with masses of cheap print products was an impressive performance demonstration of the underlying movable-type printing technology. Although it was originally invented in China as early as 1040 A.D. (read: about 2,500 years earlier), this finally led to its widespread adoption which later also benefited dissemination of actual knowledge, serving the Renaissance and scientific revolution.