When researchers at a top-tier global research university like UCLA are forced to move to OnlyFans for funding, it’s clear we’ve abandoned an institution founded on curious, creative minds.

The National Science Foundation, an independent federal agency that funds research across scientific fields, has recently shifted its focus toward emerging technological advancements, including artificial intelligence and quantum science. At the same time, the agency has cut its budget by roughly 20% to 30% for traditional science programs, denying many research facilities research funding.

The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory has studied yellow-bellied marmots since 1962. UCLA professor Daniel Blumstein has been leading this project for the last 25 years.

But the NSF’s recent shift in priorities has forced the Blumstein Lab to turn to OnlyFans to continue its important research on an account called “OnlyMarms.” Here, the lab posts pictures of these critters to celebrate and support critical life science research.

[Related: UCLA marmot research lab turns to OnlyFans after funding cuts]

Scientists shouldn’t have to justify every project’s commercial potential. The NSF must recognize the value of investing in all research that moves science forward and ensure the lasting success of critical labs like the Blumstein Lab.

Our university, as well as many others, is training future writers, social workers, scientists and beyond – not just robotics and AI experts, which the NSF insists are the only fields worth investing in.

“Long-term ecological studies in particular are so important for understanding environmental change,” said Katie Adler, a doctoral student researcher in the Blumstein Lab, in an emailed statement. “The lack of governmental support for these types of projects brings a lot of worry to me and my colleagues about the future of our study and other long-term studies.”

While the move to OnlyFans was one of necessity, the publicity garnered from media coverage of the absurd situation has been vital for the Blumstein Lab. The funds collected include $5,000 on OnlyFans, the creation of a matching donation campaign on GoFundMe, private donors reaching out to the Blumstein Lab and $100,000 worth of trades on cryptocurrency meme coins.

“While it’s funny that it attracts people’s attention, the bigger story is not lost on people,” Blumstein said. “This is what happens when you start destroying something that has value.”

Lucrative research is, of course, worthwhile to our society – especially when it generates life-saving medical devices, drugs and other innovations. But, then again, so can longitudinal research, like the Blumstein Lab.

Discoveries that matter to humans often begin by studying seemingly unrelated subjects.

“We as humans don’t always instantly recognize the significant, strikingly similar biology and behavior that connects us with other species,” said Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, a professor of medicine. “There are many, many medical innovations that have helped humans that were found serendipitously in the animal kingdom.”

For example, blockbuster weight-loss drugs, known as GLP-1s, were discovered by studying a similar peptide in the venom of a Gila monster. This was due to a decade-long research journey, which eventually led to the approval of the GLP-1 drug for diabetes.

UCLA’s researchers observe marmots in a multitude of ways, including their ability to pause aging when hibernating.

“They resume aging once they exit hibernation, and that is very intriguing, and that has not yet resulted in an innovation on the human health side,” Dr. Natterson-Horowitz said. “But, it suggests that this is something that could potentially be achieved, and there are folks at UCLA who are studying that.”

There is no way to predict the marmot lab’s commercial potential. While research that leads to an immediate return on investment is important, research done over the course of decades in seemingly obscure disciplines can provide inimitable findings.

The NSF must recognize there is value in research, no matter its application.

If humans ever become immortal, we may have the humble marmots – and their followers on OnlyFans – to thank.