What are the benefits of advancing certain techs?

not sure about the first

with number 2 the resupply will eventually get you a quantum reactor that makes supplies per turn on your ships, its extremely good ranks on the goodness scale with the ordinance vats the organics have

monoliths just pump out a lot of min/leafy greens/radioactive stuff. I think they are better at higher lvls but at what level not sure

If you need all 3 resources, monoliths are better (or you can build storage facilities and convertor)

1: In stock, all that improving the colonising tech does is increase the capacity of the colonising module, and the damage capacity it has (As is standard in Stock for most components). Yeah, I know it's pretty lame, but there you go.

2: Civics technologies grant you a [tech level]% bonus to a certain aspect of your entire empire - research rate, crew experience gathering (philosophy), troop combat (Sports), reproductive rate (lesure activities), etc. You can view the tech information under the help menu in-game, to work out which one does what. They're kinda odd, but could be useful with high ranks. (I'm personally not certain, I've never really had the time to bother with them when there's a bigger gun in the works instead. )

3: Resupply components are not really all that wonderful unless you have a specific plan in mind (Though I have a habit of putting them on my one-way early game scouts...), but as noted, level 20 gets you Quantam Reactors, which produce supply for your ships, on your ships. It's a little counter-intuitive, but there you go.

4: The advantage of monolith facilities is that while each one is not individually better than a mineral+organic+radioactive facility, the monolith produces resources similar to all three and is only one facility. Accordingly, you can build a dozen monoliths in the same space you could only build 4 of each of the individual facilities. So, less economical on resources, more economical in terms of space - and in SEV, there's a distinct tendancy for space to be at a premium.

One game, I was doing pretty well, focusing almost exclusivly on research centers, relying on a treaty for most of my income.

Then, my biggest ally declared war, and I couldn't even cover my maintenance, never mind build defences. I couldn't even maintain 1 ship. I was going to have to dismantle entire planets of research facilities and rebuild mining facilitys. It was going to be a nightmare.

Then, I saw the Civic achievement that lowers your maintenance costs for ships and facilities. Each level lowers 1% up to a max of 20% IIRC. I poured all my research into this one and within a few turns I was back on my feet and didn't need to scrap any facilitys (though I lost a ship each turn and couldn't build anything anywhere!).

Colonization above level one is ALMOST useless. it increases the structure (damage it can take) and the amount of cargo it can carry (think it starts at 100kt and max is 400kt)

as for civics. very useful as described above. just that couple percent bonus in certain areas can help you out alot.

resupply i personally don't use. i prefer solar collectors over quantum reactors. most of my ships are throw away/kamikazee so i don't bother to put expensive reactors on them. reactors are good for re-supply ships and for carriers that have to constantly give supply to fighter groups.

monoliths are the cornerstone of my resource production. at higher levels they produce more resources, and each one produces ALL resources. so on worlds where you would normally build 1 each of mineral, organics and radioactives collectors, you can build 3 monoliths and you have almost 4x the income of EACH resource! (maxed level), with a mineral scanner as well your monoliths will produce more minerals as most empires require.

Specialized resource facilities are better than monoliths, IF there is big difference in values for M/O/R. But Once coupled with value improvement plants, you will max all of them, so monolith is better.

But you usualy need one resource more than others. Then you need to increase your supply capacity and build 1 resource convertor and convert not needed R into needed. I don't know, whether this is better than gathering right resource right away. (up to how much you need the least done by monoliths, rest by specialized facilities).

Monoliths are great for Tiny or even Small planets with a limited amount of tonnage. I use them so the planet 'pays for itself' and is still able to do something useful.

1. Allows larger setup population on your new colony. Other than jumpstarting the population, they aren't much use. I skip them as a) there are only 3 levels, and b) once the colony is set up, you can always transport additional population in by freighter.

2. Some of the civics rock, depending on your playing style. The mathematics increases your research output by one percent per level, economics reduces maintenance by one percent, leisure increases population reproduction rate, etc.

3. I never use the emergency resupply pod, since solar panels/quantum generators will do the trick much better, but I do use the emergency ordinance pods on my long range ships and base ships guarding empty systems, though I've never actually had to use it.

4. Monoliths are best used on well ballanced planets, especially if you can combine them with robotic factories.

Hit up planet utilization when you can; level 20 will get you atmospheric modification abilities to get rid of domes. Eventually.