It was a typical Friday movie night with my husband and we decided to re-live our youth a bit by rewatching the 1985 classic Back to the Future.
Five minutes in, my husband was already “mansplaining” time paradoxes to me…
Twenty minutes in, we were arguing about whether we’d go back or forward in our lives if given the chance.
Of course, he wanted to re-live his high-school football glory days – where I would rather walk on broken glass than revisit my “awkward” years – yes, all four years.
Then somewhere between the DeLorean hitting 88 miles per hour and Marty panicking about erasing his own existence, it hit me like a photo from my “big hair” days…
This movie isn’t JUST about time travel. (Although the plot would be PRETTY thin without it).
It’s also about curiosity…
Stay with me as it will make sense in a minute. If it doesn’t just let me know and I’ll force myself to watch Back to the Future 3 (Western, really?)
So, let me break it down…
Doc Brown isn’t obsessed with the past OR future. He’s not trying to relive his younger years or to figure out who will win the Super Bowl in 2048…
He’s obsessed with what’s POSSIBLE.
And that’s when I started to think about many of us stop doing that after a certain age.
Curiosity plays a quiet but powerful role in brain health especially after 50.
Staying curious keeps the mind engaged, flexible, and oriented toward what’s possible — instead of stuck replaying the past.
Here’s a few more thoughts about the power of curiosity:
1. Curiosity Keeps You From Living Entirely in the Past
Marty doesn’t go back to 1955 because he’s nostalgic.
He goes back because everything goes wrong.
And once he’s there, he’s focused on surviving, getting home, and not erasing himself from existence. (All fair concerns.)
But he’s also noticing things.
The diner.
The music.
The way his parents were once just painfully awkward teenagers ordering milkshakes.
Watching him look around reminded me that curiosity isn’t about wanting to live in the past.
It’s about not shutting down when you bump into it.
Because it’s easy, especially after 50, to replay the “good old days” like they were flawless.
Curiosity doesn’t erase those memories.
It just doesn’t let you move back in.
It looks around, learns something, and then quietly asks, “Okay… what’s next?”
Which feels healthier than trying to relive 1955 without orthopedic inserts.
2. Curiosity Interrupts Mental Autopilot
Doc Brown could have accepted how the world works.
Instead, he looks at time and thinks, “I’d like to poke that.”
And watching him made me realize how much of my own life runs on default settings.
Same routines, routes and shows I’ve already seen enough times to quote them.
Curiosity is the interruption.
Not a big reinvention — just a pause.
A moment where your brain stops and goes, “Huh… why do I always do it this way?”
Doc doesn’t invent time travel because he’s bored.
He does it because he refuses to accept “this is just how it is.”
And unlike plutonium experiments in mall parking lots…
… small interruptions usually come with fewer consequences.
3. Curiosity Gives Your Brain Something New to Chew On
Remember how Back to the Future starts?
There’s Marty, plugging his electric guitar into Doc Brown’s ridiculously juiced up amplifier and hitting a power chord that literally sends him flying across the room.
Okay, so curiosity isn’t always neat and orderly…
Sometimes it’s just wondering what would happen if you tried something slightly outside your comfort zone.
And at this age, comfort zones are… very comfortable.
Curiosity gives your brain something new to work on.
Not a total overhaul. Just a stretch.
Worst case, you decide it’s not for you.
Best case, your brain lights up a little.
And honestly, that’s worth risking a blown fuse or two — metaphorically speaking.
4. Curiosity Reduces the Panic Around Change
Time travel in Back to the Future is chaos.
Lightning.
Deadlines.
Parents behaving in deeply unsettling ways.
But Doc isn’t frozen by the change. He’s focused.
He panics about details — wires, timing, harnesses — but not the fact that everything is shifting.
That stood out to me.
Because change after 50 doesn’t feel exciting.
It feels administrative.
Curiosity softens that.
Instead of “What’s happening to me?”
It asks, “Huh… that’s new.”
Which turns panic into observation.
And observation is a much calmer place to stand.
Preferably not near a moving train.
5. Curiosity Keeps the Brain Playful
Back to the Future works because it never takes itself too seriously.
Even when everything is on the line.
That playfulness comes straight from curiosity.
What if we try this?
What if this goes wrong in an interesting way?
Playfulness isn’t immaturity. It’s flexibility.
And curiosity keeps that alive.
It lets you experiment without needing perfection.
Laugh at yourself without spiraling.
Change your mind without turning it into a crisis.
Which, honestly, feels like a pretty good goal after 50.
Because staying curious is a lot more fun than staying rigid.
And significantly easier on the joints.
Roll the Credits
Speaking of curious, by the time the Back to the Future finished I realized my husband had stopped “mansplaining” everything.
Which was curiously suspicious.
Turns out, he had moved on to confidently stating facts about the 1980s that were – to put it as nicely -as wrong as my high school yearbook photo. This led to a heated discussion about whether Cyndi Lauper or Madonna released their first hit earlier.
Which then led to me pulling Trivial Pursuit (1980s Edition, obviously) off the shelf.
Which led to me absolutely wiping the floor with him.
Turns out… curiosity wins games too.
Even when someone starts the night explaining time paradoxes like he personally invented them.
He still insists he’s the “80s expert” in our marriage.
But now he knows better…
And honestly? That might be the healthiest thing my brain did all week…
(Next rematch, I’m bringing the DeLorean sound effects for intimidation.)
If You’re Curious…
What does Back to the Future teach us about brain health after 50?
The movie highlights how curiosity keeps the brain engaged and adaptable. Staying curious helps the mind remain flexible instead of getting stuck in nostalgia or fear about change.
Why is curiosity important for brain health as we age?
Curiosity encourages mental engagement, social connection, and learning in small everyday ways. These patterns help support focus, memory, and emotional resilience over time.
How can I stay curious after 50 without making big life changes?
By noticing, asking questions, and trying familiar things in new contexts. Curiosity doesn’t require reinvention — just attention and openness to what’s in front of you.
Author
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Laura is the editorial voice of Living Better After 50.
She focuses on writing about energy, reinvention, and the small habits that help everyday life feel calmer and more fulfilling for people over 50.
Her work blends humor, lived-in wisdom, and practical encouragement in a way that is NEVER preachy or boring.
Laura is also the author of The 7 Step Energy Reboot.
It's a quick read with some really easy yet powerful ways you to immediately get more out of life.
Click below to get it for FREE.
