Tim Harford introduces inventions, ideas and innovations that have helped to create the modern economic world. Paper, invented in China just over 2,000 years ago.
The Gutenberg printing press is widely considered to be one of humanity's defining inventions. Actually, you can quibble with Gutenberg's place in history. He wasn't the first to invent a movable type press - it was originally developed in China. Still, the Gutenberg press changed the world. It led to Europe's reformation, science, the newspaper, the novel, the school textbook, and much else. But it could not have done so without another invention, just as essential but often overlooked: paper. Paper was another Chinese idea, just over 2000 years ago.
Producer: Ben Crighton
Editors: Richard Knight and Richard Vadon.
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- Wed 5 Apr 2017 12:04Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
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