From Serial to TED Talks, podcasts have lately become all the rage. A listener can find practically whatever she wants in podcasts— topics range from sports, fashion, comedy, music, food, to  much more.

Lately, they have grown in popularity. Podcasts technically began in 1980 as weekly or daily radio shows.  They have evolved to what we know to be modern podcasts—audio segments available to listen to on our smartphones, tablets, laptops, or computers.

The advent of the modern podcast began in the late 2000s. From auto blogs to nonstop music, podcasts are used for getting new information.

People used to listen to books on tape and radio shows all the time, and it was one of the main ways information was spread. However, as we now transition into a more digital age, we see a drastic change in communication. Long gone are the days of family and friends gathering around the radio in the living room.  In today’s world, the common consumer listens to whatever content she wants, electronically, on her own time.

However, many consumers still do not listen to podcasts, and prefer to use social media or watch Netflix in their spare time. Although these can be interesting, podcasts are for more informational and intriguing.

Podcasts are free on the iTunes store.  There are so many different types of podcasts available.  There are popular podcasts like Serial, a week by week telling of a nonfiction story.  There are science based stories like The Message, a podcast series talking about the Cypher Group who decode an alien message from 1945.  There are even podcasts available to download from 1977 like Car Talk, a show about two brothers who help callers diagnose their car trouble while entertaining the listeners.

With such a variety of podcasts, it is impossible not to find something you like! It is now up to you to start listening. It’s a free way to better yourself, so why not take advantage?