Suppose that H is an algebraic group which is defined over a field k, and let L be the algebraic closure of k. The canonical stalk for the etale topology on k induces a simplicial set map from the classifying space B(H-tors) of the groupoid of H-torsors (aka. principal H-bundles) to the space BH(L). The homotopy fibres of this map are groupoids of pointed torsors, suitably defined. These fibres can be analyzed with cocycle techniques: their path components are representations of the absolute Galois groupoid in H, and each path component is contractible. The arguments for these results are simple, and applications will be displayed.

We discuss several theorems concerning the connection between the local CR embeddability of 3-dim CR manifolds, and the existence of algebraically special Maxwell and gravitational fields in an associated 4-dim spacetime.