Pi Isn't Even a Real Number

Scientists say they have calculated pi to 100 trillion decimal places (source).

I don't see how this in any way makes my life better, and I don't think there's even any real way to verify it.  You have to take their word for it.  Maybe they're off by a digit 98 trillion places in; how would you ever know?

It just seems like there are far more useful things they could be doing.