Communication · c. 105 CE

Paper

Cai Lun reports a cheap sheet made from bark, hemp and rags, and writing gets inexpensive.

Chinese court official Cai Lun presented an improved papermaking process in 105 CE, though cruder paper existed earlier. Paper was far cheaper than silk or bamboo strips; it spread through the Islamic world by the 8th century and to Europe by the 11th, making mass printing possible.

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