Let $p$ be a prime and $F$ a field containing a primitive $p$-th root of unity. Then for $n\in \N$, the cohomological dimension of the maximal pro-$p$-quotient $G$ of the absolute Galois group of $F$ is at most $n$ if and only if the corestriction maps $H^n(H,\Fp) \to H^n(G,\Fp)$ are surjective for all open subgroups $H$ of index $p$. Using this result, we generalize Schreier's formula for $\dim_{\Fp} H^1(H,\Fp)$ to $\dim_{\Fp} H^n(H,\Fp)$.

As a consequence of a theorem of Rost-Springer, we establish that the cyclicity problem for central simple algebra of degree~5 on fields containg a fifth root of unity is equivalent to the study of anisotropic elements of order 5 in the split group of type~$E_8$.