Global texture as the origin of cosmic structure

If a unified theory possesses non-Abelian global symmetries which are spontaneously broken it gives rise to a three-dimensional defect known as texture. In an expanding universe texture obeys a ``scaling solution,'' which produces a constant density perturbation at horizon crossing of {δ}{ρ}/{ρ}{}m_GUT²/m_Planck², where mGUT is the scale of symmetry breaking. These (isocurvature) perturbations are broadly of Harrison-Zeldovich form, but are non-Gaussian, having strong ``spikes'' in the density field. Consequences for microwave background anisotropy are briefly discussed.