lol, how do you get hurt from researching anyways?

At least you figured it out. But for future reference, food will be part of the issue. Even if you had one villager they would be worried about the food if it was less than about 3 or 4 hundred. Lots of food helps villagers strengthen.

Researching? What, they spill acid on themselves or something? Building I can see, same with farming (those berry bush branches are sharp!), I can even see getting pricked by the cactus but they don't do anything when they "research"....