How is paper made?

Paper is made by separating plant fibers, usually from wood, mixing them with water into pulp, and spreading that pulp into a thin layer. As water drains, presses, and heat remove moisture, the fibers cling together and dry into a flat sheet strong enough to write on.

The lovely surprise is that paper is not one smooth piece all the way through. Under a magnifier it looks more like a tiny woven tangle, with countless pale fibers crossing, bending, and gripping one another after their watery ride through the mill.