From factorizations of noncommutative polynomials to combinatorial topology

Abstract

This is an extended version of a talk given at the conference "Algebra and Topology in Interaction" on the occasion of the 70th Anniversary of D.B. Fuchs at UC Davis in September 2009. It is a brief survey of an area originated around 1995 by I. Gelfand and the author.

11 pages, 1 figure