Taking the irrationality problem for very general cubic n-folds as motivating example, we explore the possibility to use entropy-type invariants (dynamical degrees) and growth behaviour of Cremona multidegrees of birational self-maps for distinguishing birational automorphism groups of nearly rational varieties. We discuss some recent results (semi-continuity properties of dynamical degrees, computations of dynamical degrees for some compositions of reflections on cubic fourfolds, relation to algebraic subgroups of the birational automorphism groups) obtained jointly with H.-Chr. v. Bothmer and P. Sosna.
- Variétés rationnelles