Four-dimensional disk embedding and Wall's conjecture
What the paper claims, in its own words
The unrestricted four-dimensional disk-embedding conjecture fails: framed algebraic dual spheres do not suffice to obtain disjoint locally flat spanning disks. In particular, the free group F2 is not good in the sense of Freedman–Quinn. Also constructs a finitely presented integral Poincaré duality group of dimension four with a finite classifying space but no realization as the fundamental group of a closed aspherical topological four-manifold, disproving Wall's conjecture.
The plain-language explainer for this entry is still coming.
The original papers (3)
- A boundary-only obstruction to four-dimensional disk embedding (PDF, opens in a new tab) September 24, 2026
- A marked tensor obstruction to four-dimensional disk embedding (PDF, opens in a new tab) September 24, 2026
- A PD4 group without an aspherical manifold model (PDF, opens in a new tab) September 24, 2026