Scientists who turned to OnlyFans to fund marmot research receive crypto boost
Funding boost worth $100,000 has recently materialized in form of new marmot-themed cryptocurrency Scientists who turned to OnlyFans to help save long-running research into marmots have raised more than $100,000 after harnessing the support of another, very modern, funding avenue – cryptocurrency. The 60-year project of continuous study of marmots – stout, ground-dwelling rodents that are the…
Funding for a 60-year-long study on marmots, small ground-dwelling rodents, has been saved by a novel approach: OnlyFans and cryptocurrency. Researchers faced termination due to funding cuts imposed by Donald Trump’s administration. To secure financial support, they created an OnlyFans account named "OnlyMarms" and posted photos of marmots in their natural habitat, garnering $6,000.
This modest sum was further supplemented by a new "meme coin" ($OnlyMarms), a cryptocurrency based on internet culture and viral trends, which raised over $88,000 in just two weeks. The cryptocurrency, created on the Solana blockchain, was funded by all transaction fees. Along with outside donations from marmot enthusiasts, the project secured more than $100,000, allowing it to continue for another year.
Julien Martin, a University of Ottawa researcher leading the project, expressed amazement at the funds raised through internet culture and stated that the crypto boost has been a relief for the continuation of the research. The study, initiated in 1962, has contributed valuable insights into marmot behavior and the impact of climate change.
Martin hopes that the success of the $OnlyMarms coin might inspire similar initiatives to support other scientific projects via meme coins.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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