Screw History

Screws have revolutionised manufacturing and construction as they enable materials to be pulled together under much higher compression than a nail.

Most people are not aware that screws are a relatively new invention. Probably the best book on the subject is "One Good Turn: A Natural History Of The Screwdriver And The Screw" by Witold Rybczynski. Well worth reading.

For an explanation of the various strengths and weaknesses of the different drive types see the astonishingly in depth Wikipedia article.