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From biology to the Bible, from kindness to madness

By Steve Jones

26 May 2010

WHEN I first came to University College London – which I realise, to my horror, was nearly 40 years ago – I was approached by a stooped middle-aged American with a straggly beard and wild hair who told me, with great intensity, that he had a hotline to Jesus. Over the next few months his behaviour became odder and he took to shouting in the corridors about his connection to the Saviour.

In those days UCL was notable for its eccentrics, many of whom were also major scientific figures, so nobody was overly concerned about George Price. Then he disappeared. A few…

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