Is Isabella (AI) cheating?

[Jackpot]

[Monarch/Marathon Setting, updated with all current patches]

It's about 1636AD and through the Foreign Advisor screen I notice that Isabella 'Can Research' some techs (one of which is Communism). She just finishes Physics (I know via Espionage) and all of a sudden in the NEXT TURN she gets a Great Spy and has Communism completely finished. HOW? Keep in mind that no other leader had Communism so she couldn't have stolen it from them. I am a at a loss here. Is the AI cheating ???

While I'm on the subject, I find that the Foreign Advisor screen a bit confusing and could have been better organized. I find myself saying, "Hmmmm, Will trade... Won't trade... Can't trade... Imports... Uh...
Exports... Uh... If I am importing and the leader doesn't want it then it is the same as my exporting and they do want it... or is that the other way around... UGH!" This is kind of tongue in cheek here but it really can get confusing.

The same goes for the Foreign Advisor Tech Screen - What
the heck is the column labeled 'Can Research'? And on the 'Glance' page of the Foreign Advisor what does that plus/minus symbol actually do other than rearrange the leaders in no particular order?

Is there any literature out there that can supply the answers to these minor, but annoying, questions?

 

[JAMiAM]

She may have had some beakers already allocated to the tech, by virtue of cashing in a GP.

 

[PibbZ]

I totally agree that the tech and trade screens are a mess, thats for sure.

 

[MrCynical]

OK, you have to bear in mind there is a bug in the tech screen with the "can research" column. It shoul donly display techs which the Ai does not yet have, but which they have the option to start researching. Unfortunately it's bugged, so it will also show techs that they already have if you do not have the prerequisites for them.

So in your case, Isabella already had physics while it was still in the "Can Research" column. Presumably you were still missing Sci Method or something, triggering the bug. She therefore just researched communism normally.