Did Mohawks Wear Mohawks?: And Other Wonders, Plunders, and Blunders

The Mohawks did not affect Mohawk hairstyles, although they did shave parts of their heads; actually, it was the Mohicans who affected this hairdo. This bit of trivia shares the spotlight with other entertaining facts and conjectures assembled here by two computer software experts from North Carolina. They cast doubt on the belief that there are--or ever have been--cannibalistic societies, and this is probably just as well: with just 66 pounds of edible muscle per 110-pound man, the diet would supply virtually no protein for an entire tribe. They explain why the Great Wall of China was built, why the wheel disappeared from the Arab world for centuries, why grey and gray were once considered different shades, how U.S. astronauts deal with body wastes in space, and why a ``salami scam'' has nothing to do with the sausage business (it's computer chicanery). All told, this is informative enjoyment read piecemeal or in one sitting. (June)