[Cylapse]

It also seems like your research ability ties into it as well, as when I played on high tech levels, I killed my research ability for a higher intel and it would take me like, 3-4 planets before I would find a tech level. In this game, so far its one for one... maybe perhaps one for two, but that hasnt happened yet.

I dont think they cost research (could be wrong) but I wager that your base research amount or ability is calculated somewhere along the process.