Chapter 350: Chapter 217: Doing Scientific Research in the Wilderness? (10,000-Word Combo Chapter)

Lin Yu’an’s boots crunched through the thick snow.

The rising sun cast a long shadow of him as he held Little December in his arms, who curiously twisted its tiny head to look at the large box he was dragging with his other hand.

Back in the warmth of the shelter, Lin Yu’an fastened the heavy door with a wooden latch, completely sealing off the cold outside.

He gently placed December on the ground before setting the heavy supply box onto the open space in the center of the shelter with a dull thud.

This sound, like a switch, instantly ignited December’s curiosity.

It immediately stumbled over and began circling the giant object several times its size.

It kept using its small nose to sniff forcefully at every corner of the box, making exploratory "hmm-hmm" sounds from its throat.

Lin Yu’an didn’t open the box immediately but first went to the fireplace. He brushed aside the ashes from last night, revealing the embers still burning beneath.

Skillfully, he added some birch bark and fine kindling, gently blew a few breaths, and orange-red flames rose anew, bringing the first dynamic warmth to this morning.

He spoke to the GoPro on his chest, "Opening the box outside was just a brief glimpse. Now, let’s take a detailed inventory of these devices and draw up the work plan."

He took out every item from the box and neatly laid them on the wolf skin, like a researcher preparing for a precise experiment, picking up the tri-proof electronic recorder.

The startup screen displayed the ’Arctic Ecology Research Institute’ emblem, and according to the guide, he created a new file named ’December-ECCC-PB-2023-012’.

Then, he began executing today’s first data task, recording environmental parameters.

The recorder had built-in temperature and humidity sensors. He accurately logged the current temperature (2.5°C) and humidity (48%) inside the shelter, evaluating whether the living conditions for the cub were comfortable.

"Alright, the environmental data entry is complete."

He put down the recorder and picked up the can of formula, "Now, let’s tackle the most important task for today: preparing December’s first meal of professional formula milk since coming here."

"The guide requires the water temperature for mixing to be between 38 and 40 degrees, which is optimal for dissolving the fats and proteins in the formula and most easily accepted by the cub’s intestines."

As he spoke, he placed a small iron pot on the fire, adding a block of clean snow. As the snow melted, he began more detailed preparations.

He took out the portable UVC sterilization box, dismantled the brand-new silicone bottle, nipple, and bottle cap, and placed them inside.

He pressed the switch, and a soft purple glow filled the box, starting a quick 3-minute sterilization process.

The snow in the pot had fully melted and started steaming lightly. Precise temperature control was crucial, so Lin Yu’an glanced at the supply box.

He walked over and carefully rummaged through the foam grooves holding medical tools until he found a pen-like metal probe electronic food thermometer.

Inserting the thermometer’s probe into the water, he watched the LCD numbers descend from the 40s, finally resting precisely at 39.0°C.

"Perfect."

Next was the precise ratio. He took out a compact electronic scale, placed the freshly sterilized bottle on it, and pressed the "tare" button.

Using the matching measuring spoon, he carefully scooped out the formula, its texture very fine, a pale cream color, exuding a rich, fatty scent.

He kept his eyes on the screen, his wrist steady like a machine, until the reading precisely displayed "50g."

Then he slowly poured in the tempered water until the total weight became "250g."

Facing the camera, he explained, "The guide clearly states that for cubs like December, the initial switch to formula should not be rushed."

"You need to start with a relatively conservative amount, allowing its stomach to adjust. Each meal 50g of formula, mixed with 200g of water, totaling 250g of milk."

"And you need to closely observe its bowel movements over the next 4-6 hours."

He capped the bottle with the nipple, starting to shake it in a circular motion rather than vigorously up and down.

"The guide emphasizes that, like preparing human baby formula, vigorous shaking creates lots of bubbles in the milk."

"If the cub ingests too much air, it can cause bloating, spitting up, or even stomach pain. The correct method is this circular motion until the formula fully dissolves."

The white powder sticking to the bottle walls slowly dissolved into the water, forming a milky white, creamy liquid. A far richer scent than his homemade substitutes filled the air.

"Many people might wonder if this kind of formula is drinkable by humans?" Lin Yu’an looked at the camera, thinking of an interesting science fact.

"The answer is, absolutely not, and it’s very dangerous."

He lifted the can of formula, pointing to the ingredient list, "It has a crude fat content of 35% or more, and a crude protein content of 40% or more; what does this mean?"

"Polar bear milk is one of the most energy-dense milks in nature, with a fat content exceeding 33%, nearly ten times that of human milk and eight times that of cow’s milk."

"This ultra-high-fat formula is designed to let cubs quickly accumulate fat in the extreme cold to maintain body temperature."

"An adult human digestive system simply can’t handle such a high concentration of fat; consuming it would at least cause severe fat-induced diarrhea and dehydration."