Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 October 2008
Kirby and Siebenmann (in (7)) proved the annulus conjecture in dimensions five and above, by proving the stable homeomorphism conjecture in those dimensions, that is, by proving that every orientation-preserving homeomorphism of Rn is stable, if n ≥ 5. Although this result apparently lessens the importance of stable homeomorphisms, the concept of stability should still be of use in settling the fate of the annulus conjecture in dimension 4, or for uncovering a simple (i.e. non-surgical) proof in other dimensions.