3. The Invention of Paper (c. 105 CE)
In approximately 105 CE, Cai Lun, a Chinese court official, invented paper by combining mulberry bark, hemp, rags, and fishnets. This innovation revolutionized literacy, bureaucracy, and knowledge preservation, eventually spreading worldwide. The invention of paper is detailed in National Geographic’s article “The Sticky-Sweet Story of Cotton Candy,” which discusses the historical context of paper’s development (nationalgeographic.com).
