Medals are earned for completing various tasks in the game.

The most commonly obtained medals are from the first time you build a particular item, mine or colonize a particular planet type, or build your first building of a new level.  There's also medals for all the glyphs and types of ships.

And a medal for the date you started the game called "Meet the Lacunans"

There are some daily and weekly medals awarded for the best at a particular area of the game.

• Best Spy In Game
• Best Spy of the Week
• Best Offensive Spy in the Game
• Best Offensive Spy of the Week
• Best Defensive Spy in the Game
• Best Defensive Spy of the Week
• Dirtiest Spy in the Game
• Dirtiest Spy of the Week
• Most Improved Spy of the Week
• Fastest Growing Colony
• Largest Colony
• Best Attacker in the Game
• Best Defender in the Game
• Best Defender of the Week
• Dirtiest Empire in the Game
• Dirtiest Empire of the Week
• Fastest Growing Empire
• Largest Empire