Why Are Ships Painted Red Below the Waterline? (The 300-Year Secret)
Have you ever wondered why almost every massive cargo ship and cruise liner is painted bright red below the waterline? It’s not for style, and it’s not to scare off sharks. In this episode of "What Exactly Is?", we uncover the fascinating history of biofouling—the "floating buffet" that once destroyed wooden ships.
Discover how 18th-century copper sheets evolved into modern copper-oxide paint, and why that specific rusty-red color became a global maritime standard for safety and tradition.