The invention of the printing press, more present than ever

Today we want to make a trip in time. Specifically, to the year 1455, when the invention of the printing press was marked before and after.

 

Each new communication technology that is invented is linked to a series of historical characters that have been important. A study of the media laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The researchers have created a database that includes more than 40,000 historical figures of all times and some curious details are observed.

From Neithotep, possible consort of the first Egyptian pharaoh to Princess Carlota of Cambridge and fifth great-granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. One can feel vertigo when looking at this list but let's go to the topic of this article.

The most important thing is that researchers have detected that in the year 1450 something happens. And that something is due to the invention of the printing press, by the German Johannes Gutenberg. From that moment, the story would not be like before.

In just 100 years after the printing press, the number of artists or mathematicians is increasing and not only religious figures have a place. In fact, until then, only 10% of the biographies referred to creators as philosophers or writers.

Experts say that thanks to the invention of the printing press, the memory of humanity will grow bigger.

This is what has led them to think that there is a direct relationship and is what they show in the study they have carried out, based on a variable: the distance between the city of birth of the new personalities and Mainz, the German city where Gutenberg used the first printing of mobile types to print the first Bible.

What we found most curious is that using a catalog of the first printed books in Europe during the fifteenth century, have found that those European cities that adopted the printing before have a greater chance of being the birthplace of a famous person in the subsequent decades. Therefore, the historical figures have much to do with the technology that dominates at that time.

The same happens with radio and television, which brought a series of changes in terms of illustrious characters, biographies of actors, film directors, musicians and singers, although there is also room for athletes.

Today we wanted to dedicate our special tribute to the invention of printing on the blog. Things have changed a lot and we keep innovating with equipment that allows you to print what you want and how you want it. But, from time to time, it does not hurt to look at the past and see where we come from. Now, we keep going but with you.