There is a version that uses ‘on’ a brass monkey. Obviously, ships got wet, being close to plenty of water. When the brass got wet and it was cold, freezing would occur. I’m not sure which, if either, is true.
According to Wikipedia the naval explanation is apocryphal - with 5 reasons:
- The OED does not record the term “monkey” or “brass monkey” being used in this way.The purported method of storage of cannonballs (“round shot”) is simply false.
- The shot was not stored on deck continuously on the off-chance that the ship might go into battle. Indeed, decks were kept as clear as possible.
- Furthermore, such a method of storage would result in shot rolling around on deck and causing a hazard in high seas. The shot was stored on the gun or spar decks, in shot racks—wooden planks with holes bored into them, known as shot garlands in the Royal Navy, into which round shot was inserted for ready use by the gun crew.
- Shot was not left exposed to the elements where it could rust. Such rust could lead to the ball not flying true or jamming in the barrel and exploding the gun. Indeed, gunners would attempt to remove as many imperfections as possible from the surfaces of balls.
- The physics does not stand up to scrutiny. The contraction of both balls and plate over the range of temperatures involved would not be particularly large. The effect claimed could be reproduced under laboratory conditions with objects engineered to a high precision for this purpose, but it is unlikely it would ever have occurred in real life aboard a warship.
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That sounds right. I have always wondered, but never bothered to check.
In both cases, it’s the range that is most useful to us, whilst remaining compatible with our energetic resources and longevity.
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Must be why I keep bumping in to things.
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There are usually at least two of us co-conscious, so most of the time, in any circumstances, we get at lest twice the amount of experience as does a singleton.
(i.e. someone who isn’t a plural system - e.g. not having DID/OSDD etc!).
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