Though I’ve now spent more of my life on the East Coast than the West, as a Bay Area native, I have a special spot in my heart for the Golden Gate Bridge. So I was particularly happy to see this morning’s [Writer’s Almanac newsletter](http://writersalmanac.org) note that construction of the bridge began on this day in 1933. And I was even happier to learn that the bridge is painted International Orange.

Previously, I knew about International Orange only from my youth of marine biology internships, as the US Navy (followed in turn by a slew of ocean-related product manufacturers) made the color their official standard for life vests, wetsuit color striping, and general safety use.

It was a few decades after that standard went into use that icthyologists started investigating color perception and preference in sharks. And, basically, there was only one color that sharks were strongly attracted to.

Ever since then, International Orange has also been known as Yum Yum Yellow.

If you’re windsurfing the Bay, I wouldn’t get too close to the bridge.