Wny is everything painted red and white (checkered) by airports?

Question

Everything you see near an airport is painted in red & white checkers. Like radio towers, roofs of buildings etc. I assume this has something to do with pilots visibility but unsure of the exact reasoning behind this.

Answer 1

For visibility.

Answer 2

The key word to remember here is "CONTRAST". Looking down from the sky, it is rather difficult to pick out specific items due to the vastness of the landscape visible. In hazy and low light conditions, the situation worsens. But the checker board pattern combined with the colors create contrast. This pattern is unlike anything found in nature. And, instinctively, our eyes are drawn to these unnatural contrasts, which enable a pilot at altitude to better pick out his destination under not-so-ideal conditions. Good question.

Answer 3

It is actually aviation orange. The FAA mandates the paint scheme so the hazard can  be seen by the pilot while airborne..

Answer 4

All structures above a certain height and within a certain radius of an airport must be painted the checker pattern to make them easier to see in low visibility conditions.