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Letter: James Randi obituary

<span>Photograph: Larry Busacca/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Larry Busacca/Getty Images

James Randi occasionally visited the offices of science journal Nature in the 1970s. He wanted to be sure we understood that a magician could duplicate all the phenomena – spoon-bending and more – that fascinated the public.

One such was to increase dramatically the response of a Geiger counter by concentrating on it. Randi brought in his own counter, focused on it and – lo and behold – it erupted with clicks, to our general astonishment. He then rolled up a trouser leg to reveal that he had strapped a radium watchface on to his knee. Raising it showered the counter with alpha particles. Point made.