Zooniverse was a direct response to a PhD project that Chris Lintott was supervising. His student was tasked with classifying galaxies and in the end decided that the volume of data was just too great.

There is a good supply of volunteers, and the tasks are enjoyed by those who undertake them. Where volunteers identify notable things, they are also credited by name in the resulting papers.

> maybe they should think about if repeatedly firing, whimsically dismantling expert teams, and cut the funds to scientists at the slighest opportunity really pays at long term.

I don't see much evidence for this happening in the UK, where the project is based.