Morphogenesis is the process by which biological materials obtain their
shape. Since shape is closely tied to function, this process must be highly
robust. I will investigate the role topological defects can play in this
process, as well as the advantages of utilizing active stresses. I will show
theoretical and computational work, as well as experimental evidence
for defective morphogenesis in Hydra. Hydra is an organism with a
remarkable ability to recover its form after mechanical damage. We will
show how this ability can be completely nullified by taking advantage of
the way in which shape and topology are coupled.