Schools have existed since deep antiquity, but it was not until the Middle Ages that the University — an autonomous, self-governing community of students and scholars — emerged. Excellent schools of higher learning which served as precursors to universities (and later became true universities) emerged in the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic world in the second half of the 9th century. The first two institutions to actually call themselves by the Latin term “universitas” were the University of Bologna and the University of Paris, founded within a short time of each other in the late 11th century....

10 Pigments With Colorful Histories 10 10 Million Colors If someone had asked you how many colors exist, what would you say? Well, it turns out that the human eye can usually see about 10 million colors. This is due to millions of special cones in the eye, which are able to detect pigment. Sometimes certain cones might malfunction, and this causes color-blindness. Other times, a person may have “tetrachromacy”, which means they have an extra type of cone and can see up to 100 million colors....

Then there are those people who somehow find themselves on both sides of the scale. Someone who is both lucky and unlucky at the same time sounds strange, but there are a few who’ve managed it. These ten are the luckiest unlucky people, and each had a fascinating tale to tell. Top 10 Luckiest People In The World 10 Robert Evans Robert Evans was already having a difficult time living without a home in an encampment outside of Boulder, Colorado, in 2008....

10Beluga Caviar Beluga Caviar is the most expensive food item in the world, costing between $7,000 and $10,000 per kilogram (or $200–$300 per ounce). Caviar is fish roe (eggs), and this particular brand comes from the Beluga Sturgeon, found mostly in the Caspian sea. It can take up to 20 years for a Beluga Sturgeon to reach its maximum size, and it can weigh up to two tonnes. The eggs are the largest of the fish eggs used for caviar....

The misconception: A Fatwa is a death sentence Why we want to believe it: because – like it or not – there is a lot of anti-Islamic opinion around and it is very difficult to go against the hive-mind which believes this myth. In reality, in Sunni Islam, a fatwa is a non-binding religious opinion on Islamic law, issued by an islamic scholar. It should be noted, however, that fatwas can be considered binding in Shia Islam, depending on your relation to the scholar....

I don’t care how this candy tastes, who in their right mind would enjoy scraping ear wax out of a plastic ear for eating? The whole idea just makes me want to gag! It even comes with its own swab. How many kids are going to start digging in their ears after they run out candy I wonder? Smart. The gross factor in these candies is not their flavor, but the fact that they are designed to look like scabs – complete with plasters....

We’ve all heard the term “influential films”: movies whose innovative approaches inspired others to further the medium. Unfortunately, a trend also can devolve, leaving its originator – however creative or classic a film it might be – responsible for another chime in cinema’s death knell. In chronological order, here are ten films – including several great ones – that have negatively impacted filmmaking. Top 10 Ways Hollywood Ruined Your Favorite TV Shows...

However, as we’re about to find out, nonlethals can be as deadly as their lethal counterparts. Some can easily be lethal despite their classification as nonlethal. Others might generally work as intended, but certain conditions can quickly turn them into deadly weapons. 10 Active Denial System The Active Denial System (ADS), which has been referred to as a “ray gun” or a “pain ray,” shoots a beam of microwaves that penetrate the skin and cause it to heat up....

10 Creepy Photos Of People Unaware They Are With A Serial Killer 10 A Twisted Alibi 19-year-old Alan Hruby posted this photo on Instagram with the caption: “College wouldn’t be half as great without these two peaches.” Whilst he was partying with his friends and acting as if everything was normal, Hruby had shot and killed his parents and his sister just two days earlier. On Friday October 10th, 2014, Hruby used a 9mm pistol he had stolen from his father’s truck to kill his family in cold blood before disposing of the weapon and the DVR disc from the home security system in a nearby lake....

The poor man’s Shroud of Turin, the Mandylion of Edessa is a towel on which Jesus had dried his face. The legend behind the relic is that the towel was created after the Turkish King Agbar of Edessa commissioned an artist to produce a portrait of Christ. After failing to capture Christ’s brilliance, the artist was given the towel by Christ himself. When the artist returned with the Mandylion, the king was cured of his leprosy....

Of course, they weren’t exactly domesticated, as they are the result of selectively breeding the wolf, and there have been tons of breeds over the past 14,000-29,000 years. Unfortunately, some dog breeds have come and gone, and their like has never been successfully re-bred into existence. The ten dog breeds on this list were once popular for various reasons but have since disappeared. 10 People Killed By Their Dogs...

Let’s take a look at the 10 best primitive technologies that are better than their advanced counterparts. We just have to warm up our time machine. 10 The Wired Telephone Alexander Graham Bell invented the wired telephone in 1844. Alexander’s telephone was undoubtedly a magnificent invention of the 19th century and still stands out for its peculiar features, most notably its rotary dial. With this dial, a user has to turn the dial for every digit of the phone number they want to call....

But while 4chan users have proven to be capable of some pretty dark stuff, some go to incredible lengths for causes they believe in. At times, parts of the 4chan community have banded together to perform amazing feats. Top 10 Sinister Facts About The Dark Side Of Instagram 10 4chan Solves a 25 Year Old Math Problem 4chan began as a place for anime fans to geek out, and parts of it still remain dedicated to anime fandom....

“Since the average dealer now sits at a desk straight out of the Space Shuttle – and in many cases is relatively inexperienced and working under considerable pressure – mistakes are inevitable. In May last year, London’s FTSE 100 index dropped by more than 2%, after a trader typed £300m, instead of £30m, while selling a parcel of shares. In 1998, in the biggest incident of its kind ever, a Salomon Brothers trader mistakenly sold £850m-worth of French government bonds, when he carelessly leaned on his keyboard....

SEE ALSO: Prince William’s Dancing Is The Latest Of 10 Shocking Scandals To Rock The Royal Family 10 Prince Bernhard And The Lockheed Scandal In 1959, the Dutch government was looking to build a new fleet of jet fighters. Needless to say, this contract would be worth millions. One company in particular, the Lockheed Corporation, began to pull out in front, and Lockheed officials looked to Prince Bernhard and his “business expertise” to encourage the Dutch government in their direction....

That box of pasteboards in bold, primary colors is one of the most recognizable things in the world, but the more we look, the more it seems like those cards are filled with mystery. Cards are special things. Each deck is a marvel of engineering, design and history, loaded with secrets that have been whispered and distorted with each retelling. Here are 10 secrets about a standard deck of playing cards that have been hiding in plain sight all this time....

Humans get goose bumps when they are cold, frightened, angry, or in awe. Many other creatures get goose bumps for the same reason, for example this is why a cat or dog’s hair stands on end and the cause behind a porcupine’s quills raising. In cold situations, the rising hair traps air between the hairs and skin, creating insulation and warmth. In response to fear, goose bumps make an animal appear larger – hopefully scaring away the enemy....

10 Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind This is a pretty well-known example of the ‘catchy melody/dark lyrics’ phenomenon, mainly because the darkness isn’t hidden at all within the lyrics. One read through the lyrics and you’ll know what truly lies beneath that absurdly earwormy chorus. It barely even uses metaphor. One line just reads, “Doing crystal myth will lift you up until you break.” But what’s notable is that still, so many people have no idea what “Semi-Charmed Life” is about....

Cosmetics Roman women would put metal compounds on their faces in order to enhance their color. Tin-Oxide or Lead-Oxide was used as a paling agent, Arsenic (Though they knew it was poisonous) as a rouge or blush, and charcoal was used as eyeliner. Romans also were the first to use a pocket mirror. Odometer Although first used effectively by the Greeks in their measurements between cities, the Romans employed a very simple cart odometer that had 4-foot wheels....

Shop like Your Grandma My Grandma’s cupboards were always full to overflowing, and they smelled good; of cinnamon and cloves and a myriad of other spices. Lots and lots of food, and you know what? No boil n’ bag, No Noodles n’ Sauce, No Canned Ravioli. My Grandma, and for that matter my Mom, bought stuff to make food preparation easier, not prepared food. Shop the prepared foods, just don’t buy them; use them for inspiration....