The pileus quadratus, a type of Roman skullcap topped with a horizontal square board, has given rise to a number of similar cap styles, among them the biretta worn by the Roman Catholic clergy and the academic mortarboard cap. The academic headgear is embellished with a tassel or liripipe, which may be dyed black, colored to represent the graduate’s area of expertise, or matched to a school’s colors. According to urban legend, why did some UK universities cease to use the cap? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary
According to Zoroastrian tradition, a dead body is unclean and must be disposed of in a safe manner. To prevent the pollution of earth or fire, dead bodies are placed atop a tower, where they are exposed to the sun and birds of prey. The towers are circular raised structures with nearly flat roofs that are divided into three concentric rings; one ring is designated for the bodies of men, one for women, and one for children. Who coined the term “tower of silence”? 
At 12,160 sq mi (31,494 sq km), Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater lake in Eurasia. It is also the world’s deepest lake, with a maximum depth of 5,714 ft (1,742 m). Located in southern Siberia, the clear, oxygen-rich waters are home to a wide range of aquatic plants and creatures, including such unusual species as the world’s only freshwater seal, and can sustain animal life more than 5,200 ft (1,600 m) below the surface. What percent of the world’s surface freshwater is held in Lake Baikal? 
The saron is a musical instrument that features prominently in Indonesian musical ensembles. It typically consists of seven bronze bars placed on top of a resonating frame, called a rancak. Sarons typically come in a number of sizes, and each size is pitched differently. A seated performer strikes the instrument with a tabuh, or mallet, to produce a musical note and uses his free hand to then grasp the ringing key and dampen the sound. What materials are used to make saron mallets? 
The practice of drilling a hole into the skull to expose the dura mater surrounding the brain is an ancient surgical procedure dating back to prehistoric times. It is the oldest surgical procedure for which evidence (in the form of human remains) has been discovered. Modern physicians continue to perform trepanations, though the medical rationale surrounding the surgery has since evolved. Which artist gained notoriety for performing a self-trepanation and then screening a film of the procedure? 
In the late 1400s, Pope Sixtus IV, his nephew Gerolamo Riario, Archbishop Salviati, and members of the wealthy Pazzi family hatched a plot to assassinate Lorenzo and Giuliano de’ Medici. The Pazzi and Medici families were rivals, but the Pazzis were merely tools in the conspiracy, which aimed to increase Riario’s power in Florence. On April 26, 1478, while attending High Mass at the Duomo, Giuliano was stabbed to death. What happened to Lorenzo? 
Unlike the classical five senses—sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing—by which people perceive the outside world, proprioception is a distinct sensory modality that provides feedback regarding the position, location, orientation, and movement of the body and its parts. The sense of body awareness is believed to utilize information from sensory receptors found chiefly in muscles, tendons, joints, and the inner ear. How do police officers use this information to identify drunk drivers? 
Damnatio memoriae is a Latin phrase meaning “damnation of memory.” The practice was a form of dishonor that could be passed by the Roman Senate upon traitors or others who brought disgrace to Rome. The sanction, a form of removal from remembrance, essentially erased all traces of a person from public life and record in order to preserve the honor of the Roman State. What interfered with the Senate’s attempt to obliterate all records of Emperor Caligula? 
Beaks are horny, projecting structures that form the mandibles of birds. They are generally strong, sharp, and useful in striking and tearing. The beak’s function varies significantly from species to species; it can be used to kill prey, probe for food, manipulate objects, groom, or feed young birds, and its size and shape vary accordingly. Though beaks are worn down over time, they grow continuously throughout the birds’ lifetimes. What species of bird uses its beak to “kiss” during courtship? 
A wedding dress is the traditional article of clothing worn by a bride during the marriage ceremony. The color, style, and ceremonial importance of the gown vary in accordance with the religious and cultural traditions of the wedding participants. In Western countries, brides traditionally wear ornate white gowns symbolizing purity. China’s brides generally wear red, a color of good luck. Why was it considered inauspicious that Mary, Queen of Scots, wore a white gown to her 16th century wedding?