The short answer is we don't know who invented rivets because they first appeared in Ancient Egypt over 5000 years ago, where they fixed handles to clay jars. That suggests a second reason - there isn't a single type of rivet.
Aside from the clay jars, Vikings used rivets to attach planks in their longboats.
Archeologists have discovered Bronze Age swords and daggers where rivets were used to attach the handles.
In more recent times, rivet technology revolutionised the construction industry.
In 1887 they used 2.5 million rivets to join 18,038 plates in the Eiffel Tower.
For its day it was an audacious undertaking, employing 300 workers on-site for two years.
At 300 metres, it was the tallest thing ever built.
By then, the use of rivets was already well established in boiler making, making them an obvious feature when you look at an old steam engine. They became even more common with the rapidly growing maritime industry.
Imagine the deafening noise constructing the RMS Titanic, which required 3 million rivets. Each were glowing red-hot as they were hammered into the side of the ship.
As the rivet cools, it contracts and squeezes the joint tightly together.
Fortunately, working conditions have mostly improved since then, but there's no doubt many suffered permanent hearing loss from excessive noise.
It was probably similar for the workers pounding 6 million rivets into Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Less violent and on a smaller scale, rivets became a ubiquitous fashion statement on the pockets of jeans.
Although the older style rivets used in larger constructions such as bridges provided an interesting visual feature, they have fallen out of favour due to cost and because they are vulnerable to corrosion.
These structures are now an ongoing concern because it's more difficult to see where that corrosion occurs.
The story of rivets is more than a curious sideline in the history of technology: it shows how engineers have transformed the world.
While politicians can decide economic policy and send nations into war, it's engineers who subtly and pervasively change our lives.
Without rivets we probably never would have had steam engines, the Eiffel Tower, the industrial-age ships and First World War tanks.
That's something to think about when you pop (not rivets) a piece of bread into a toaster.
Listen to the Fuzzy Logic Science Show at 11am every Sunday on 2XX 98.3FM.
Send your questions to AskFuzzy@Zoho.com Twitter@FuzzyLogicSci
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
