As Mrs Merton knew, there are questions that answer themselves. "What first attracted astronomer royal Martin Rees to the £1m Templeton prize?" certainly looks like one of them. If an American charitable trust offered you a small fortune for "affirming life's spiritual dimension", you would need to check you had strong principles and a remarkably understanding partner before replying: "I have never been so insulted in my life."

The reasons for the John Templeton Foundation's attraction to Lord Rees appear, if anything, more obvious.

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