  The paper shows how a generalization of the elasticity theory to four
dimensions and to space-time allows for a consistent description of the
homogeneous and isotropic universe, including the accelerated expansion. The
analogy is manifested by the inclusion in the traditional Lagrangian of general
relativity of an additional term accounting for the strain induced in the
manifold (i.e. in space-time) by the curvature, be it induced by the presence
of a texture defect or by a matter/energy distribution. The additional term is
sufficient to account for various observed features of the universe and to give
a simple interpretation for the so called dark energy. Then, we show how the
same approach can be adopted back in three dimensions to obtain the equilibrium
configuration of a given solid subject to strain induced by defects or applied
forces. Finally, it is shown how concepts coming from the familiar elasticity
theory can inspire new approaches to cosmology and in return how methods
appropriated to General Relativity can be applied back to classical problems of
elastic deformations in three dimensions.
