The Machine That Made Us (2008)

The Machine That Made Us (2008) is a documentary that takes us back to a time when books weren’t easy to make.

Imagine a world without printed words—no books, no newspapers, nothing! But then along came a clever person named Johannes Gutenberg. He invented something incredible: the printing press.

In the 15th century, amidst medieval times, Gutenberg crafted a unique machine. It wasn’t like today’s printers—it was big and clunky.

But this machine changed everything. It could create books faster than ever before. Imagine writing a whole book by hand—it would take forever! But with the printing press, words magically appeared on paper.

The press used movable letters. These tiny letters could be rearranged to form words and sentences. It was like a dance of letters!

Gutenberg’s press could churn out books—Bibles, stories, and more. Suddenly, knowledge wasn’t just for the rich; everyone could read and learn.

The first big book printed by the press was the Bible. But it didn’t stop there. The press spread scientific ideas, history, and all sorts of knowledge.

It was like turning on a light in a dark room. People could see and understand things they never could before.

Even today, our books owe a big “thank you” to Gutenberg’s invention. It’s like a secret superhero that quietly changed the world.

So next time you read a book, remember the printing press—a robust machine that made knowledge accessible to all.