In brief
- UCLA researchers have created an OnlyFans account named OnlyMarms to fund their wildlife project amid dwindling traditional research grants.
- More than ten meme coins inspired by OnlyMarms have emerged on the Solana blockchain, with unclear ties to the research team.
- This initiative highlights the intersection of internet culture and cryptocurrency with scientific endeavors.
In a creative twist, scientists engaged in a long-term wildlife study have sought funding through a unique aspect of internet culture, leading to unexpected developments.
The UCLA research team established an OnlyFans account called OnlyMarms to financially support their ongoing project, which has monitored yellow-bellied marmots in Colorado since 1962, as securing traditional grants has become increasingly challenging.
The initiative was conceived by Professor Daniel Blumstein as funding opportunities dwindled. A graduate student humorously named the account "OnlyMarms," and the team embraced the concept by enticing subscribers with promises of "uncensored marmot content." Blumstein noted that this venture also allows them to connect with new audiences.
“Perhaps this attracts a different crowd than our usual science communication targets,” Blumstein remarked in an interview with NPR. “It's fantastic, and it seems to have a larger reach than we anticipated.”
So far, the OnlyMarms account has raised approximately $4,000. Blumstein indicated that the project requires between $75,000 and $100,000 annually to sustain graduate student involvement and fieldwork, funding that was previously provided by federal grants.
The marmot research has also piqued the interest of the cryptocurrency community.
On the platform Pump.fun, several meme coins inspired by OnlyMarms have surfaced, although their creators and any connection to the UCLA team remain uncertain. Blumstein clarified to NPR that the researchers are not behind these tokens.
“Individuals have independently created a meme coin and encouraged us to register the transaction, allowing us to earn transaction fees. It's gaining traction,” he explained. “Evidently, this is a meme coin for a good cause that resonates with people.”
This isn’t the first instance of a popular internet animal inspiring a cryptocurrency.
In 2024, the Solana-based token Moo Deng, which was based on a viral pygmy hippo, launched on Pump.fun and briefly achieved a market cap of around $680 million before being listed on major exchanges like Coinbase.
Additionally, the researchers have collaborated with a Colorado brewery to produce a "Marmot Tears" IPA and initiated a public competition called "Fat Marmot Week."
Blumstein commented on the broader implications of their situation, expressing concern over the current state of scientific funding in the U.S. He lamented that raising money through platforms like OnlyFans is a stark contrast to the funding methods available during his graduate studies.
“It's shocking,” he stated. “What we are witnessing is the dismantling of the scientific infrastructure and the university-federal partnerships that have historically propelled our success and leadership in global science. This disintegration is truly disheartening.”