We describe a sufficient condition for a finitely generated group to have infinite asymptotic dimension. As an application, we conclude that the first Grigorchuk group has infinite asymptotic dimension.
Andreas Zastrow conjectured, and Cannon-Conner-Zastrow proved, that filling one hole in the Sierpiński curve with a disk results in a planar Peano continuum that is not homotopy equivalent to a 1-dimensional set. Zastrow's example is the motivation for this paper, where we characterize those planar Peano continua that are homotopy equivalent to 1-dimensional sets. While many planar Peano continua are not homotopy equivalent to 1-dimensional compacta, we prove that each has fundamental group that...