Alexander Imich
A centenarian chemist who dedicated his later decades to the rigorous, skeptical study of psychic phenomena and life extension.
1903–2014 (age 111)·Polish–American scientist·Birthday: February 4·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Alexander Imich's life spanned a tumultuous century, beginning in a Jewish family in Poland and unfolding across continents and scientific disciplines. Trained as a zoologist and chemist, he survived the Holocaust and later emigrated to the United States. His early career was conventional, but in his later years—well into his 80s and beyond—he turned his analytical mind to the field of parapsychology, a subject long dismissed by mainstream science. He founded the Anomalous Phenomena Research Center in New York, applying a chemist's demand for controlled experimentation to investigations of telepathy and psychokinesis. Imich became a public figure not just for his research, but for his extraordinary longevity, offering himself as a case study in a life of intense curiosity. He argued that understanding consciousness was the next great frontier, and he pursued that frontier with the vigor of a man half his age.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alexander was born in 1903, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1903
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1903Born
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Started school
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Became a teenager
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Could drive
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Could vote
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1924Turned 21
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1933Turned 30
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 40
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 50
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 60
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 70
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 80
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
2014Died at 111
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
Key Achievements
- Founded and presided over the Anomalous Phenomena Research Center in New York City.
- Edited the influential volume 'Incredible Tales of the Paranormal', collecting scientific accounts of anomalous phenomena.
- Published scholarly parapsychology research in his 90s and 100s, bringing media attention to the field.
- Was recognized as the world's oldest living man at the age of 111.
Did You Know?
He claimed to have witnessed a famous poltergeist case in Poland as a young man, sparking his lifelong interest.
Imich outlived his wife, who was a painter, by over 50 years.
He attributed his longevity to genetics, a modest diet, and never having children.
In 2014, he made a public appeal for scientists to study his DNA after his death to find clues to extreme aging.
“I am interested in the possibility of survival after death. I don't believe, but I don't disbelieve. I regard it as a possibility.”
