Condensed matter physics as a laboratory for gravitation and cosmology

The geometric language of General Relativity is not normally related to Con densed Matter (CM) Physics since it is the electromagnetic and not the grav itational interaction that dominates the physics of CMP systems. What point s in common would then CMP have with Cosmology and the dynamics of objects in a gravitational field? There is at least one that is very important: top ological defects formed in symmetry breaking phase transitions. To explore the similarities and differences here has been a very fruitful experience f or both sides. On one hand, topological defects in solids started to be des cribed by a gravity-like theory including torsion and, on the other hand, e xperiments have been proposed and performed in CM systems with the purpose of testing cosmological theories. Some examples are: 1) Landau levels and t he Aharonov-Bohm effect of electrons moving in a crystal containing a screw dislocation can be described in a simple way. in a geometric formalism; 2) dosed timelike curves have been proposed in the vicinity of vortices in su perfluid Helium; 3) Kibble mechanism, for the generation of topological def ects, has been experimentally verified in liquid crystals. In summary, Cond ensed Matter Physics with its rich diversity of systems and phenomena and o f relatively easy access to experiments, appears as a laboratory for testin g hypotheses of gravitational theory and cosmology involving topological de fects. In this work I summarize recent results in.,this interface area focu sing mainly in the results obtained by our research group.