Configuration spaces of equal spheres touching a given sphere: the twelve spheres problem (Q2417586)

Let \(\mathrm{Conf}(N)[r]\) be a configuration space of \(N\) marked labeled spheres of equal radius \(r\) in \(\mathbb{R}^3\) which all touch a given unit sphere \(\mathbb{S}^2\) and \(\mathrm{BConf}(N)[r]=\mathrm{Conf}(N)[r]/\mathrm{SO}(3)\). The paper is devoted to review topological and geometric properties of spaces \(\mathrm{Conf}(N)[r]\) and \(\mathrm{BConf}(N)[r]\). Most of the results are previously known but there are some new results and conjectures about the allowable motions and rearrangements for some concrete important configurations with \(r=1\). For the entire collection see [Zbl 1411.52002].