Lelek's problem is not a metric problem (Q649607)

The purpose of this paper is to show that Lelek's conjecture -- that span zero implies chainability for metric continua -- is not dependent on the metrizability assumption: if it's a yes answer in the metric case, it's a yes answer in the nonmetric case as well. On the other hand, if a continuum of uncountable weight is found to be a counterexample to Lelek's conjecture, then, by model-theoretic methods, most notably the Löwenheim-Skolem theorem, that counterexample has a metric quotient that is also a counterexample. (A notable instance where metrizability \textit{is} essential is in the problem of counting composants. Any nondegenerate indecomposable metric continuum has uncountably many composants; however, David Bellamy constructed an example of an indecomposable nonmetrizable continuum with only one composant.) While the techniques developed are valuable and interesting -- especially to this reviewer -- it turns out that after the paper was accepted for publication, the third-named author -- as mentioned in an added note -- actually constructed a metric counterexample outright.