A solution to de Groot's absolute cone conjecture (Q882479)

A compactum \(X\) is an abolute cone if for each \(x\) in \(X\) the pair \((X,x)\) is pairwise homeomorphic to \((Cone(Y),c)\), where \(c\) is the cone point of the cone on some space \(Y\). Classical results on low-dimensional generalized manifolds being curves or surfaces are used to show that \(n\)-dimensional absolute cones are \(n\)-cells if \(n\leq3\), and that this also follows from the Poincaré Conjecture when \(n=4\). The double suspension theorem of Cannon and Edwards is used to construct counter examples in every higher dimension \(n\geq5\).