Screw This, Screw That: Why We Have Different Types of Screws

From mental_floss Blog:

If you've ever mistakenly grabbed the Phillips head screwdriver when you needed a flat head, you've probably asked yourself why there are different types of screws. Let's start at the beginning. The screwdriver, originally called a screwturner or turnscrew, entered the world inconspicuously and kept a very low profile until its 300th birthday. Historians believe it was invented in Germany, but aren't sure exactly when. The Medieval Housebook of Wolfegg Castle, the oldest known written reference to the tool, has a hazy publishing date somewhere between 1475 and 1490. Considering the invention likely predates the book by at least a few years, the mid to late 15th century is about as exact a birthday as it gets.

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