The Vatican continues to publish its documents in Latin, so it is still a living language, just about. Pope Benedict's resignation was first reported by a journalist with a command of Latin.
I really wish, in retrospect, I had read Classics (or at least a bit of me thinks I do). There's a point in the Chilcot report - and I can't find the reference despite several minutes' Googling - where the spook being interviewed quotes (I think) Homer in Greek and receives a Homeric response. It makes one feel tremendously ignorant.
I reckon a science degree is pretty useless post hoc; much of one's learning is out of date before one has finished writing one's final examination paper, and it is certainly of no use in daily conversation.
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