PBS Spacetime (Physics)

Money & Macro (Economics)

Patrick Boyle (Finance)

Perun (Military Analysis)

Veritasium (Physics)

3Blue1Brown (Mathematics)

Asianometry (Semiconductors and Geopolitics)

Engineerguy (Engineering)

RealLifeLore (Geopolitics)

Polymatter (China)

Tantacrul (Music)

Mustard (Aircraft and Trains)

Biolayne (Fitness)

In fact they could have talked transparently about their opex and asked for a simple donation drive every now and then like Wikipedia.

This reminds me of when Reddit used to show their monthly server costs and ask that people get gold to help offset it.