We prove that the semistability growth of hyperbolic groups is linear, which implies that hyperbolic groups which are sci (simply connected at infinity) have linear sci growth. Based on the linearity of the end-depth of finitely presented groups we show that the linear sci is preserved under amalgamated products over finitely generated one-ended groups. Eventually one proves that most non-uniform lattices have linear sci.

In this article we study the Ahlfors regular conformal gauge of a compact metric space $(X,d)$, and its conformal dimension ${dim}_{AR}(X,d)$. Using a sequence of finite coverings of $(X,d)$, we construct distances in its Ahlfors regular conformal gauge of controlled Hausdorff dimension. We obtain in this way a combinatorial description, up to bi-Lipschitz homeomorphisms, of all the metrics in the gauge. We show how to compute ${dim}_{AR}(X,d)$ using the critical exponent $Q_N$ associated to the combinatorial modulus.

Ozawa showed in [21] that for any i.c.c. hyperbolic group, the associated group factor $L\Gamma$ is solid. Developing a new approach that combines some methods of Peterson [29], Ozawa and Popa [27, 28], and Ozawa [25], we strengthen this result by showing that $L\Gamma$ is strongly solid. Using our methods in cooperation with a cocycle superrigidity result of Ioana [12], we show that profinite actions of lattices in $\mathrm{Sp}(n,1)$, $n\ge 2$, are virtually $W^{*}$-superrigid.

We explore the interior geometry of the CAT(0) spaces $X_{\alpha }:0<\alpha \le \pi /2$, constructed by Croke and Kleiner [Topology 39 (2000)]. In particular, we describe a diffraction effect experienced by the family of geodesic rays that emanate from a basepoint and pass through a certain singular point called a triple point, and we describe the shadow this family casts on the boundary. This diffraction effect is codified in the Transformation Rules stated in Section 3 of this paper. The Transformation Rules have various applications....