Title: Choosing distinct points on cubic curves
Abstract: It is a classical topic dating back to Maclaurin (1698-1746) to study certain special points on smooth cubic plane curves, such as the 9 inflection points (Maclaurin and Hesse), the 27 sextatic points (Cayley), and the 72 points “of type 9” (Gattazzo). Motivated by these algebro-geometric constructions, we ask the following topological question: is it possible to choose n distinct points on a smooth cubic plane curve as the curve varies continuously in family, for any integer n other than 9, 27 and 72? We will present both constructions and obstructions to such continuous choices of points, state a classification theorem for them, and discuss conjectures and open questions.