Summary of Key Points
A 65-year-long marmot monitoring project, one of the longest-running wildlife surveillance programs in the world, is facing a critical crisis due to a lack of funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF has rejected the project three times, and the Trump administration has cut funding for climate-related research. In desperation, the scientists decided to create an account on OnlyFans to share footage of the marmots’ daily activities. They were unexpectedly aided by donations from cryptocurrency enthusiasts, which allowed them to secure enough funds for another year. This incident highlights both the ingenuity of the researchers in finding alternative solutions and the systemic challenges facing basic scientific research in the United States.
1. The Significance of this Marmot Project
The project began in 1962, focusing on tracking yellow-bellied marmots in the Rocky Mountains. Each marmot has a unique identification tag, and their survival, reproduction, and family histories have been documented for up to 11 generations. This extensive data is invaluable as it helps distinguish between adaptations to environmental changes and genetic variations, as well as assess whether populations will continue to evolve.
The project has made two significant discoveries: in 2000, it was found that marmots wake up from hibernation 38 days earlier than before (the earliest evidence of climate change affecting the animals’ biological clocks); in 2010, it was observed that longer summers have caused marmots to gain weight (from 3.1 kg to 3.4 kg), leading to a surge in their population, making it a prime example of how climate change impacts wildlife.
Currently, the project is addressing new issues, such as marmots waking up before the snow melts and facing food shortages, as well as die-offs due to insufficient snowfall in 2025-2026. Such gradual changes and sudden events can only be detected through continuous monitoring; without it, these trends would go unnoticed.
2. Funding Cuts from the NSF
The project relied on long-term funding from the NSF for 11 years, but three renewal applications were denied, with officials stating that they had enough data already.
Things worsened under the Trump administration: over $700 million in NSF funding was frozen, and research related to climate change was targeted for cuts. The committee overseeing the NSF was disbanded, and the White House prioritized funding for AI and robotics, leaving wildlife research in a vulnerable position.
3. Turning to OnlyFans
With no other options, the scientists decided to create an account on OnlyFans, where they shared videos of marmots running and digging holes. Initially, the platform doubted their identity due to the lack of clear identification. After explaining their funding crisis, OnlyFans approved the account. The account is now managed by a master’s student, and donations from subscribers (who can view content for free) have raised approximately $6,000—far from the annual requirement of $75,000 to $100,000.
4. A Surprising Rescue from the Crypto Community
A turning point came when anonymous users on the Solana blockchain launched a “$OnlyMarms” cryptocurrency, donating all transaction fees to the project. In just two weeks, they raised $88,000! Together with direct donations, the total amount collected was more than enough to cover the project’s needs for another year. Project leader Martin remarked, “I don’t understand internet culture, but we were able to raise so much money.” His next goal is to raise $300,000 to support a doctoral student for four years.
5. A Partial Success
While this success is noteworthy, it also highlights the irony: Trump has earned over $600 million from cryptocurrency, while the scientists rely on it to fund their research. Martin emphasizes that this approach cannot replace stable federal funding and that it’s unlikely to be replicated. Moreover, not every research project has access to adorable animals like marmots as spokespersons. Donations and cryptocurrencies may help a single project, but they cannot solve the broader crisis in basic scientific funding.
This story is a dark joke: serious scientific research depends on popular online platforms and cryptocurrencies to survive. It reveals the plight of researchers and exposes the problems with government funding allocation. When basic science is marginalized, even marmots have to become “internet celebrities” to continue their work.