We investigate how exotic differential structures may reveal themselves in particle physics. The analysis is based on A. Connes'
construction of the standard model. It is shown that, if one of the copies of the spacetime manifold is equipped with an exotic
differential structure, a compact object of geometric origin may exist even if the spacetime is topologically trivial. Possible
implications are discussed. An
SU(3) ⊗
SU(2) ⊗
U(1) gauge model is constructed. This model may not be realistic, but it shows what kind of physical phenomena might be expected
due to the existence of exotic differential structures on the spacetime manifold.