If you’re like me, you wake up each weekday about 15 minutes later than you need to. You hurry into some clothes and run out the door to begin your commute towards another day on the job.

Now, one thing that I’ve learned in my years of traveling to work is that whether it be in a car driving, or taking public transportation, the best way to keep your sanity and wake up for the day is to listen to a good podcast.

Podcasts, for the uninitiated, are similar to morning talk radio, but are typically released weekly or biweekly instead of daily. Rather than tuning into a broadcast station to listen, podcasts are downloaded from the internet (usually from a place like iTunes) and listened to at the your leisure. The beauty of podcasts is that there is one for practically any subject that you could imagine. So no matter what hobby or obsession you have, there will be someone willing to entertain you on the matter.

Since they are free, and relatively easy to make, the number of podcasts out there has grown exponentially in the last few years. I’ve found that discovering the right one can be tedious or frustrating without recommendations, so, without further ado, here are five of them (in no special order) that I’ve particularly enjoyed and wish to share!

The Giant Bombcast/The Giant Beastcast (Gaming)

Podcast Page – Explicit – ~180 minute episodes

There are a lot of good gaming related podcasts out there. Most of the big players (IGN, GameSpot, etc) have their own, and each is generally quite good. I’ve found that the guys over at Giant Bomb just plain do it best. While technically two different podcasts with two different crews, I consider these to be largely the same podcast. With new episodes on Tuesdays and Fridays, each cast features news, reviews, and quirky stories from some very charismatic and entertaining fellas from Giantbomb.com. They also take listener emails and frequently end up on hilarious sidetracks. If you are interested in current gaming industry news and scuttlebutt, this is the place to find it.

Mysterious Universe (New Science/Paranormal/Mystery)

Podcast Page – Explicit – ~150 minute episodes

Mysterious Universe is a fantastic source on the fantastic. By that I mean all things way out there. Covering new scientific discoveries and theories as well as UFOs, cryptozoology, and other paranormal topics, there is always something interesting and fascinating on the show. For the most part, there are two hosts, Ben and Aaron, who hail from Australia (and have the satisfying accents to prove it). These guys treat their topics with a very professional manner, but also maintain skepticism on several things. Part of the fun is trying to figure out what it is they believe and what they do not. However, given the topic, they often get to explore the utterly ridiculous and have a good time with it. This podcast is very charming and never gets boring. They employ a paid subscription that nets you two shows a week instead of one, and an extra hour long segment on their free podcast each week. I’ve been a subscriber for going on two years now and I’ve never been disappointed.

Star Talk Radio (Space!)

Podcast Page – Not Explicit – ~60 minute episodes

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a personal hero of mine, and he hosts a podcast! Star Talk radio covers all things space related in an uber informative and super entertaining manner. He features comedian and celebrity guests often, which keeps things fresh, and things end up surprisingly funny for an educational space podcast. New episodes release every Friday. Oh, and did I mention you get to listen to Tyson’s sultry voice talking about supernovas and asteroid belts? Yea, it’s awesome.

The Joe Rogan Experience (Comedy/Celebrity/Random)

Podcast Page – Explicit – ~120 minute episodes

Joe Rogan is a multitalented individual. Not only is he one of the all time stand up comedy greats, he also is big into MMA. He does his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, quite frequently, but due to his busy lifestyle, there is no set schedule. His celebrity guest list is extremely impressive, featuring famous authors, MMA fighters, stand up comedians, and other celebrities who show up and talk about pretty much anything that comes to mind during the show. Most of the time he is discussing current trending news, but guests also usually have their own projects to discuss as well. This show is super entertaining and quite funny, but since they talk about such random topics, it can be a bit hit or miss if you aren’t a big fan of Joe Rogan himself. However, it is really well made and he is a great host, so I definitely recommend giving this podcast a shot.

Just the Slips (Movie collecting/Movies/Blu-ray)

Podcast Page – Explicit – ~60 minute episodes

Ok, this one is sort of a cop out. Yes, we have our own podcast here at The Nerd Mentality, and yes, I am biased. But hey, I think we’re worth a listen! Every Tuesday we release a new episode where we discuss our experiences in the world of blu-ray collecting, which is more in depth than you may think. We go in detail on the latest movie releases, the distributors that bring us our favorites, and which movies we think are worth talking about. Also, who doesn’t love to see a group of new podcasters making asses of themselves? Am I right?

So there you have it, five podcasts that are worth giving a listen to. I know there are probably thousands out there that deserve recognition, so if you have a favorite, drop a comment below and tell us about it! We’re always looking for more recommendations here at TNM!