Shirali Muslimov facts for kids
Shirali Muslimov (born March 26, 1805 – died September 2, 1973) was a man who claimed to be the oldest person ever. He said he was 168 years old when he passed away. This age would have made him 46 years older than Jeanne Calment, a French woman who is officially confirmed as the oldest person ever. Muslimov became sick with pneumonia in 1972 and died the next year. The only proof of his age was a passport from 1939. This passport stated he was born in the village of Barzavu in 1805. He also claimed to have five generations of family members alive.
Shirali Muslimov's Long Life
According to stories, Shirali Muslimov worked hard every day, even when he was very old. He ate healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, wholemeal bread, chicken broth, cheese, and yogurt. He became ill with pneumonia in 1972 but survived for a while before dying in 1973.
His story became very popular in 1973 when National Geographic Magazine wrote about him. The article said that he still rode horses and took care of an orchard (a fruit garden) that was planted in the 1870s. However, National Geographic later said they were not sure about his age claim. The Guinness Book of World Records also mentioned his story but stated it was not confirmed.
How His Story Became Famous
Shirali Muslimov's case first became widely known in 1963. A young photojournalist named Kalman Kaspiev from TASS traveled to Barzavu to interview him. His story was then shared by newspapers in the Soviet Union, by National Geographic, and even by the Dannon company. This company, which makes yogurt, suggested that Muslimov's long life might be linked to eating yogurt.
Doubts About His Age
Some scientists who study aging, called gerontologists, have doubts about Muslimov's claim and other similar claims from his area. They looked at old Soviet census records. These records show that people in this area usually live no longer than 115 years, which is similar to other parts of the world.
Muslimov is one of several men from this region who claimed to live for an extremely long time. It is interesting that in this area, more men than women claimed to be super old. This is different from most places, where women usually live longer than men. Even though there are no clear records to prove his age, his story certainly caught the public's attention.
See also
In Spanish: Shirali Muslimov para niños
