Item #: SCP-290
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: SCP-290 is to be held in a 5 m x 5 m x 5 m cell. No organic matter of any kind, whether alive or dead, should be permitted to come into contact with SCP-290 except under testing. Personnel attempting to contact SCP-290 do so at their own risk.
Description: SCP-290 appears to a large metallic sphere (300 centimeters in diameter), with two double-jointed legs, and an opening (90 centimeters in diameter) at its front, showing its hollow interior. Scans have shown that SCP-290 is made up of a variety of metal alloys, many of which are unrecognizable. Its core's walls, approximately 20 centimeters thick, seem to be uniform and solid. It is unknown how it carries out its reconfiguration functions.
SCP-290 will use persuasion and force to put living organic matter into its hollow interior, often simply descending on unsuspecting subjects after it has lured them nearby. Once it has found a victim, the opening quickly closes, the surface becoming uniform. After usually three to five minutes, it opens again and ejects its subject. Subjects emerge from SCP-290 functional but physically reconfigured and often disturbing in appearance. That is, eyes, limbs, mouths, internal organs - all are often relocated, seemingly at random, but remain functional. Due to the random nature of its procedure, the effects are unreliable. While some subjects have reported increased abilities despite the aesthetic harm, most often complications such as excruciating pain during movement or breathing occur. SCP-290 has been called the 'Picasso Machine' due to the aesthetic effects it has on subjects.
SCP-290 appears to be sentient, or at least in possession of an extremely advanced AI. It has proven itself to be capable of speaking nearly all known languages, and some unknown. Though it has not been shown to be particularly intelligent, it has been seen to use basic psychology to render itself as amicable. The purpose of its speech functions seem to be to lure its subjects, as it seems to prefer this method of acquiring subjects rather than force, due to its relatively slow walking speed (3 to 4 km/h). SCP-290 is capable of all of its functions, locomotion, and speech, despite the fact that no power source has been located.