On Kalai's conjectures concerning centrally symmetric polytopes (Q1017921)

A convex polytope \(P\) is \textit{centrally symmetric} if \(P = -P\). Let \(f_j\) be the number of \(j\)-dimensional faces of \(P\). \textit{G. Kalai} [Graphs Comb. 5, No.~1, 389--391 (1989; Zbl 1168.52303)] posed three conjectures on centrally-symmetric \(d\)-dimensional polytopes, of increasing strength: Conjecture A states that every centrally-symmetric \(d\)-dimensional polytopes has at least \(3^d\) nonempty faces, i.e., \(f_0 + f_1 + \cdots + f_{ d-1 } + 1 \geq 3^d\). Conjecture B suggests that, given a centrally-symmetric \(d\)-dimensional polytope \(P\), the face numbers of \(P\) are bounded below by the face numbers of a \textit{Hanner polytope}; Hanner polytopes are built recursively from line segments by taking direct sums or direct products. Conjecture C strengthens Conjecture B by replacing the bounds on the \(f_j\) by an inequalities involving flag vectors. It is not hard to see that Kalai's conjectures hold for \(d \leq 3\). The authors prove that Conjectures A and B for \(d=4\), that Conjecture \(B\) fails for \(d \geq 5\), and that Conjecture C fails for \(d \geq 4\).