Anomalous Cube

The Anomalous Cube is technically an archaeological site rather than a standard science-ship anomaly, found specifically on uninhabitable or non-dry planets. Investigating it delivers escalating Living Metal and Minor Artifacts output across its stages — or Engineering/Alloy output instead if you don’t own the Ancient Relics DLC.

What makes it distinctive

Partway through the site, the game designates a random Fallen Empire (one you’re not at war with) as the “Anomalous Cube Fallen Empire” — later stages can offer a large Unity payout and a substantial Opinion boost with that Fallen Empire, or alternatively progress toward the Living Metal technology and a discount on the Living Metal Mega-Construction edict. If you’re playing Evolutionary Predators, an earlier stage also grants progress toward the Adaptive Evolution situation.

Investigation tips

Because rewards scale up across stages and the final choice affects either diplomacy (Fallen Empire opinion) or tech progress (Living Metal research), it’s worth deciding which payoff you actually want before you reach that choice point — the diplomatic option is only available if you’re not at war with the designated Fallen Empire, so keep that relationship in mind if you’re aiming for it.