The Gutenberg Revolution: A History of Innovation

Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in the mid-15th century revolutionized the world. This groundbreaking mechanism enabled the mass production of books, breaking the previous monopoly of knowledge held by the clergy. Before Gutenberg's innovation, books were painstakingly transcribed by hand, making them rare and accessible only t

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A Strasbourg Dancing Mania of 1518

In the summer of 1518, the city of Strasbourg was consumed by a most peculiar and frightening phenomenon. A woman named Frau Troffea abruptly began to dance in the streets, seemingly without any cause or provocation. Her wild dancing continued for days, and soon others participated her in this peculiar spectacle. Thousands of people, it is said, f

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