I was so glad to see the introduction of random events in SP. I had seen the topic come up on the forum since Sins first came out circa 08. Adds a certain new level of immersion into the universe/gameplay
Anyhow, new random events. Honestly, I haven't experienced all that are currently programmed, so I might be treading on existing ground, but it would be cool to see:
1) Nano self-awareness. Your nano tech gains a collective consciousness and goes out of control. Could result in damage to ships, structures, and create some type of swarm fleet that starts marauding through the system or infects/kills a population.
2) Planetary Climate Shift: An event such as a comet impact, meteor shower, or core instability changes one planet type to another. For example, tectonic shifts turn a Terran planet to an Oceanic planet. Meteor impact turns a planet barren. Some type of industrial accident creates a Greenhouse planet.
3) New Technology: Innovation and ingenuity creates random tech upgrades to your tree. That would probably be harder to program but would be cool. Or, you gain access to a tech tree option from another race through espionage/salvage
4) Random Wormhole formation
5) Random Phase lane shift (caused by some sort of gravitational anomaly
6) Mutiny. One of your ships becomes a rebel ship
7) Catastrophic systems failure: one of your ships starts a countdown to being scuttled that cannot be deactivated
Cheers!