While cooling off and relaxing before I had to head out during the heat of the day (1-3) to monitor irrigation (when we got LOTS of water) I watched a NOVA program, The Day The Dinosaurs Died.  Staggering statistics during the first several minutes, and wonderful explanations throughout the program that were understandable (yet not condescending) of how scientists figured out what happened 66 million years ago.

I took notes!

66 million years ago, a seven-mile-wide asteroid collided with Earth on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, triggering a chain of events that coincided with the end of the dinosaurs. Traveling over 40,000 mph, the energy released by the impact (measured by shock quartz found at site) equaled 10 billion Horoshima bombs. Upon impact it punched a hole 20 miles deep. Rocks melted and spewed 18 miles into the air.  The fireball reached 10,000 degrees and generatesd a shockwave traveling faster than the speed of sound, creating hurricane force winds and decimating everything within 600 miles of the impact.

Following that program, I watched what turned out to be the re-airing of a program I'd never heard of, but found fascinating: Stephen Hawking GENIUS. 

http://www.pbs.org/genius-by-stephen-hawking/home/

Professor Stephen Hawking challenges a selection of volunteers to think like the greatest geniuses in history and solve some of humanity's most enduring questions.

I caught Episode 6: Where Are We? in which three "regular" people did simple experiments with basic tools that proved the size, shape of earth, distances to the moon and sun, etc.  I'll definitely look for the other episodes. What a wonderful way to teach science, and especially LOVED how they proved to themselves that (despite its appearance) a lake isn't flat, but follows the curve of the earth.

Lifelong learning is the "ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated" pursuit of knowledge. It enhances social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development."