Scalar particles coupled to the Standard Model fields through a disformal coupling arise in different theories, such as massive gravity or brane world models. These disformal scalar degrees of freedom have been postulated as dark mater and dark energy candidates. We will review the main phenomenology associated with such a scenario. Distinctive disformal signatures could be measured at colliders and with astrophysical observations.We will pay particular attention to the branon case. In rane-world models with low tension, these particles constitute the only relevant new degrees of freedom at low energies. Branon fields are in general massive, weakly interacting, and stable depending on the symmetries of the bulk space. Therefore, they may explain the universe missing mass problem.