They can be found randomly on planet surfaces, often near various waypoints. Each planet has its own invisible density value which determines the rate at which Knowledge Stones generate. On high-density planets, they may randomly spawn close together in groups of two or three. They are guaranteed to appear near ancient alien structures such as monoliths or ruins, with most typically having three nearby.

A version of these that look different can be found on Atlas Interface Stations. These are called Curiosity Beads.