Hi,
1. I have a question regarding research rate. In the options I turned the research rate to "slow".
Counts that only for me or also for the AI because after 475 turns it looks like the AI have finished the tech trees
and I'am still in the first third 
2. Bit by bit the AI empires leave the U.P., at the moment there are only the Yor and me left over 
Yor and me, we are the weakest empires in my current game... (Difficulty: Challenging)
Would be great if anybody have an answer 
Thanks, Hawkeye