Paper

Paper was invented in ancient China around 105 AD during the Han Dynasty by court official Cai Lun. Made from pulped plant fibers like hemp, bark, and rags, it revolutionized record-keeping by providing a lightweight, affordable alternative to bamboo slips and silk scrolls. This breakthrough spread along the Silk Road, reaching Europe via Arab traders by the 12th century. As the first true mass communication medium, paper enabled bureaucratic expansion, literary flourishing, and scientific progress across civilizations. Today, despite digital alternatives, paper remains fundamental to global culture—its invention ranking among humanity's most transformative technological achievements.