Final answer:
Directly after developing the theory that rays can travel through solid objects, Marie Curie decided to investigate the claim, which set her on the path to discovering new radioactive elements.
Step-by-step explanation:
Marie Curie's work following Henri Becquerel's discovery of radiation from uranium salts led to a significant advancement in understanding the nature of radioactivity. After the development of the theory that rays can travel through solid objects, as demonstrated by Becquerel, Marie Curie decided to investigate the claim. This led her to her ground breaking research on radioactive substances, including the study of uranium and its compounds, which eventually resulted in her discovery of two new elements, polonium and radium, along with her husband Pierre Curie.