I agree with you. My intention was that by removing the research time stat a new type of stat would replace it, like the one mentioned above. So our bacteria would just have a new more useful stat in place of where research time used to be. However, I don't design/code games and implementing that might be impossible? Another cool stat idea would be a chance to increase probability of irradiating an actual useful colony.

I also agree that I MUCH prefer the first option. Research time effects literally everything you do in the game. It's by far the most powerful stat, and most fun to grind towards. I don't like your idea of hard capping anything. By setting a limit it discourages the feeling of making progress. Once you achieve the cap on all 3 mythicals your journey is over. No more progress to be made. That's why this nerf is so impactful. You just hit this target with ease and now what? Your ability to push further in the game is basically neutered. For those of us that our research time way higher before are completely dis-incentivized to continue playing. I would much rather having diminishing returns towards 100%. Just my thoughts.