A categorical version of the Lefschetz-Nöbeling-Pontryagin theorem on embedding compacta in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) (Q1295309)

This paper deals with an interesting question surrounding the Lefschetz-Nöbeling-Pontryagin theorem which states that every \(n\)-dimensional compact metric space can be homeomorphically embedded into a \((2n+1)\)-dimensional separable metric group (in fact, into \(\mathbb{R}^{2n+1}\)), namely whether such an embedding can be given functorially. With \({\mathcal C}(n)\) denoting the category of \(n\)-dimensional compact metrizable spaces and \({\mathcal G}\) the category of finite-dimensional Hausdorff topological groups, it is shown that for \(n=1\) there exists no functor \(F:{\mathcal C}(n)\to {\mathcal G}\) which would come with embeddings \(X\to FX\), natural in \(X\). However, for \(n=0\) there is such a functor, the values of which can always be taken to be a countable power of the two-element discrete group.