UCLA marmot researchers launch OnlyFans; unofficial Solana meme coins emerge

Researchers at UCLA created an OnlyFans account called OnlyMarms to support a decades-long wildlife study in Colorado as traditional research funding became scarcer. The project, which has monitored yellow-bellied marmots since 1962, needs between $75,000 and $100,000 annually to fund graduate students and fieldwork—money that federal grants once provided. Professor Daniel Blumstein told NPR the account has generated about $4,000 so far and reaches audiences beyond typical science communication channels.

The marmot project has also caught the attention of the crypto community. Several unofficial meme coins inspired by OnlyMarms have appeared on Pump.fun, though the UCLA team did not create them. Blumstein said the researchers were approached by creators asking them to claim transaction fees. According to Blumstein, the situation reflects broader challenges in U.S. scientific funding. He described current conditions as "appalling," noting that unconventional funding methods represent a departure from the university-federal partnerships that historically supported research.

The effort is not the first time a viral animal has inspired cryptocurrency. In 2024, Moo Deng, a Solana token based on a viral pygmy hippo, launched on Pump.fun and briefly reached a market capitalization of about $680 million before securing major exchange listings. The UCLA team has also partnered with a Colorado brewery on a "Marmot Tears" IPA and launched a public "Fat Marmot Week" competition.