China's Bi Sheng devises first movable-type printing system with clay characters. 1050 Arabs bring decimal system to Spain. 1086 Chinese scientist Shen Kua gives account of magnetic compass for navigation. 12th Century 1100s Hebrew scholar Maimonides analyzes linkages between wealth and charity. 1155 Map of western China is oldest known printed map.
China starts manufacturing guns.
1275-1292 Marco Polo lives in China during reign of Kublai Khan, learns of pasta, sherbet and paper currency. Spinning wheel, Chinese invention, is demonstrated in Speyer, Germany. Korea uses foundry to print books with metal type. 15th century 1421 Florence grants first recorded patent, for a barge with hoisting gear used to transport marble. 1450s Gutenberg prints Bible in Mainz, Germany, after perfecting interchangeable type that can be cast in large quantities and inventing new type of printing press.