Marmots on OnlyFans: Researchers turn to the internet for funding

Researchers led by Dan Blumstein have turned to OnlyFans to fund their long-term study on yellow-bellied marmots, as traditional grants have become harder to secure, especially under recent defunding of environmental projects. By sharing videos of these intriguing rodents, they're creatively tapping into a new crowd-funding avenue. This unique approach highlights the broader struggle scientists face in securing research funding, demonstrating that even unconventional methods might be necessary to advance important ecological studies.