  The dynamics of symplectic gauge fields provides a consistent framework for
fundamental interactions based on spin three gauge fields. One remarkable
property is that symplectic gauge fields only have minimal couplings with
gravitational fields and not with any other field of the Standard Model.
Interactions with ordinary matter and radiation can only arise from radiative
corrections. In spite of the gauge nature of symplectic fields they acquire a
mass by the Coleman-Weinberg mechanism which generates Higgs-like mass terms
where the gravitational field is playing the role of a Higgs field. Massive
symplectic gauge fields weakly interacting with ordinary matter are natural
candidates for the dark matter component of the Universe.
