Which came first? · Counterintuitive

Which came first: Australia or Radioactivity?

Radioactivity came first, in 1896 (discovered). Australia followed 5 years later, in 1901 (federation).

Older Than You ThinkOlder Than You ThinkWhich came first? Sixteen pairs, from obvious to "wait, really?"Quiz11 seconds a pairMobile & desktop
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  1. Second1901

    Australia

    country · federation

    Australia became one nation on 1 January 1901.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

  2. First1896

    Radioactivity

    discovery · discovered

    Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity in 1896, by leaving uranium salts on photographic plates.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games

Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.