UCLA Researchers Turn to OnlyFans for Marmot Study Funding

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have turned to OnlyFans, a subscription-based platform for adult content, to fund their long-running wildlife study. The project, which has been tracking yellow-bellied marmots in Colorado since 1962, initially struggled with traditional research funding. Professor Daniel Blumstein came up with the idea of creating an OnlyFans account called OnlyMarms as a way to supplement their income.

The team leaned into the joke by promising subscribers 'uncensored marmot content,' but it has also become a way for them to reach new audiences and generate interest in their research. The account, which has generated around $4,000 so far, is still short of its annual goal of $75,000 to $100,000.

The project's unexpected popularity on OnlyFans has even caught the attention of the crypto community. Several meme coins inspired by OnlyMarms have appeared on the Solana blockchain, although it's unclear who created them or whether they're connected to the research team. The tokens have generated transaction fees for the researchers, which are being used to support their work.

The situation has raised concerns about the state of scientific funding in the United States. Professor Blumstein noted that relying on platforms like OnlyFans is a far cry from how research projects were funded when he was in graduate school.