French scientist Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity while working on a series of experiments on phosphorescent materials. During his experiments, Becquerel observed that uranium compounds produced a photographic image on a plate wrapped in black paper.
This indicated the emission of radiation independent of sunlight or external stimulation; an event he later termed "radioactivity". His accidental discovery led to further investigations by the Curies and others, eventually earning Becquerel the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 for his work on natural radioactivity.
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