Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have launched an unconventional fundraising effort on the adult content platform OnlyFans to support their long-running marmot research program. The initiative, dubbed "OnlyMarms," aims to raise funds by sharing "G-rated" content featuring the rodents, rather than human models.
The program lost federal funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) when officials determined that enough long-term data had been collected and denied a new funding proposal. The NSF had supported the environmental biology research for over a decade.
"It may be symbolic for a lot of people of the lengths researchers have to go in order to fund really important work," student Emily Renkey told The Daily Bruin. The team hopes the effort will make science more accessible and exciting.
The "OnlyMarms" account is free to subscribe to and features candid photos and videos of marmots, including those named "Jamba Juice" and "Egg." The content includes rodents caught on camera traps playing, chirping, and stretching. The account cheekily advertises "uncensored marmot content."
So far, the initiative has raised at least $2,800 in tips. Professor Daniel Blumstein, a lead researcher on the project, noted the humor in his initial experience setting up the account, which required him to submit a driver's license photo. "I don't look like the marmot," Blumstein stated, adding, "All the marmots are minors, but we have to do this for science education." OnlyFans allowed the account to proceed after Blumstein contacted the company to clarify the nature of the content.
Doctoral student Katie Adler expressed that the goal is to engage people who might not typically be interested in scientific research. "That's a huge part of it – making science more accessible and making it exciting for people who could never have thought that they'd be interested in something like this," she said.