diff --git a/site/src/components/NerdCorner.svelte b/site/src/components/NerdCorner.svelte
index b6093ee..0b28a31 100644
--- a/site/src/components/NerdCorner.svelte
+++ b/site/src/components/NerdCorner.svelte
@@ -22,12 +22,28 @@
     time:      v => `${v.toFixed(1)} h`,
   };
 
-  // Colours for past years — current year is always blue-400
-  const PALETTE = [
-    '#f97316', '#34d399', '#a78bfa', '#f43f5e',
-    '#facc15', '#22d3ee', '#fb923c', '#4ade80',
+  // Cool→warm ramp for past years; current year is always blue-400
+  // t=0 → oldest past year (muted purple), t=1 → most recent past year (warm coral)
+  // Stops: [t, hue, sat%, light%]
+  const _RAMP: [number, number, number, number][] = [
+    [0.00, 265, 38, 52],  // muted purple
+    [0.18, 230, 45, 55],  // slate-blue
+    [0.36, 185, 52, 50],  // teal
+    [0.54, 145, 48, 47],  // green
+    [0.70, 50,  72, 52],  // amber-yellow
+    [0.84, 25,  80, 55],  // orange
+    [1.00, 5,   70, 57],  // warm coral-red
   ];
 
+  function _rampColor(t: number): string {
+    let i = 0;
+    while (i < _RAMP.length - 2 && t > _RAMP[i + 1][0]) i++;
+    const [t0, h0, s0, l0] = _RAMP[i];
+    const [t1, h1, s1, l1] = _RAMP[i + 1];
+    const f = (t - t0) / (t1 - t0);
+    return `hsl(${Math.round(h0 + (h1 - h0) * f)},${Math.round(s0 + (s1 - s0) * f)}%,${Math.round(l0 + (l1 - l0) * f)}%)`;
+  }
+
   function dayOfYear(d: Date): number {
     return Math.floor((d.getTime() - new Date(d.getFullYear(), 0, 0).getTime()) / 86400000);
   }
@@ -68,8 +84,14 @@
     }
 
     const colorDomain = years.map(String);
-    const colorRange  = years.map((y, i) =>
-      y === _currentYear ? '#60a5fa' : PALETTE[i % PALETTE.length]);
+    const pastYears   = years.filter(y => y !== _currentYear);
+    const colorRange  = years.map(y => {
+      if (y === _currentYear) return '#60a5fa';
+      if (y < 2000) return '#71717a'; // undated bucket (year 0 / "0000")
+      const i = pastYears.indexOf(y);
+      const t = pastYears.length <= 1 ? 0.5 : i / (pastYears.length - 1);
+      return _rampColor(t);
+    });
 
     return { rows, colorDomain, colorRange };
   }