Which came first? · Counterintuitive

Which came first: Email or Star Wars?

Email came first, in 1971 (first sent). Star Wars followed 6 years later, in 1977 (released).

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. First1971

    Email

    invention · first sent

    The first email sent over the ARPANET network went out in 1971 and introduced the @ sign in addresses.

    Checked against Wikipedia and Wikidata

  2. Second1977

    Star Wars

    film · released

    Star Wars opened in May 1977 in just 32 cinemas.

    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.