100 Blogs That Will Make You Smarter

Reading blogs doesn’t have to be an exercise in futility or a waste of time. Your blog addiction can serve you well by with these blogs that are sure to make you smarter. These blogs bring you information about politics, technology, art, literature, an international perspective on life and culture, and much more. Become a regular reader of these blogs and who knows how intelligent you will be in the end.


Politics

Whether you fall to the left, right, or down the middle, these political blogs will open your eyes and expand your mind.

1. Daily Kos. This popular progressive blog offers a daily dose of politics that will definitely improve your political intelligence.
2. The Daily Dish. Written by Andrew Sullivan, one of the first journalist bloggers, this blog offers a political view "of no party or clique."
3. The Corner on National Review Online. Get your politics from this blog with a conservative viewpoint courtesy of this popular online magazine.
4. Instapundit.com. Find politics and much, much more at this libertarian-leaning blog written by Glenn Reynolds.
5. Talking Points Memo. This blog, headed by award-winning writer Joshua Micah Marshall, offers a unique approach to political reporting that often goes deeper than some of the traditional news organizations.
6. Think Progress. Working to promote progressive ideas and politics with this blog, articles frequently include topics on issues as social and economic justice, global leadership, health care, and more.
7. The Huffington Post - The Blog. This popular site offers a blog that reflects it’s liberal approach to politics with articles that will keep you up-to-date.
8. The Daily Beast Blogs & Stories. Run by a good friend of The Huffington Post’s Arianna Huffington, but with a polar opposite political approach, blogs on Tina Brown’s The Daily Beast bring political stories with a more refined, yet decidedly conservative touch.
9. OxBlog. Written by four former or current Oxford graduate students, this blog offers an international perspective to politics with a liberal perspective.
10. Little Green Footballs. This conservative political blog focuses on America and topics in the Middle East.

News

Get the latest news about the nation, the world, the economy, health, and even some off-the-wall news stories with these blogs.

1. AC360�. Read Anderson Cooper’s blog at CNN based on this popular news show to learn the news of the day.
2. NBC Around the World. Get the latest international news from this blog courtesy of NBC.
3. Nightline’s Daily Line. From the popular ABC news show, Nightline, this blog offers sneak peaks, recaps, and inside news from the show.
4. Wallstrip. From CBS news, this video blog takes a look at the companies doing well on the stock market each day and explains trends that may lead to the companies’ successes.
5. Technology News - CNET News. Get the latest news on the technology front from this blog.
6. Global News Blog - Reuters. Find some of the most comprehensive world news available on this blog from Reuters.
7. NPR: Planet Money. Keep up with the global economy with news from this blog.
8. The Medium. This blog from the New York Times Magazine brings the latest news from the world of online video.
9. A Better Life: Health and Medical News. From USA Today, this blog features all the latest news on health and wellness.
10. Oddly Enough - Reuters. These true news stories from around the world remind you to take life a little less seriously.

Higher Education

These blogs come from professors and universities and share a wealth of information that will surely expand your world and help make you smarter.

1. Lessig. Stanford Law School professor Lawrence Lessig pens this popular blog with topics ranging from the politics to technology to copyright issues.
2. Kellogg Insight. Read about the latest research of the professors at Kellogg School of Management on this blog.
3. Carpe Diem. Mark J. Perry writes about economics and finance with recent posts focusing on gas prices and auto affordability.
4. Concurring Opinions. Described as "a general-interest legal blog," the professors who contribute to this blog cover a wide variety of topics from tax law to technology.
5. The Becker-Posner Blog. These two well-respected law professors each offer their opinions on the same topic at this popular blog.
6. Georgetown Law Faculty Blog. With several law professors contributing to this blog, you will find a wealth of information on current legal news that the professors find important enough to share.
7. Health Care Organizational Ethics. This Harvard professor writes about the state of health care on his blog, including topics such as personal responsibility, pharmaceuticals, and hospital ethics.
8. Mudd Manuscript Library Blog. Not only can you learn about upcoming exhibits at this Princeton Library, but you can also learn quite a bit about the pieces and their part in history as well.
9. Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog. Find out what these law professors have to say about current issues and public policy.
10. IvyGate. Whether or not this blog will actually make you smarter may be up for debate, but you can feel like you are a part of the Ivy League world with this blog that brings you news, gossip, and more from all the Ivy League schools.
    

Technology

From research to intellectual property to Internet security, these blogs will help you become smarter about technology.

1. Harga-Blog. Andrew Hargadon writes about technology innovation and management with an emphasis on sustainable technology.
2. Eric Goldman. This law professor writes about technology and marketing with topics including Internet law and news, copyright and technology, and more.
3. Karim R. Lakhani’s Infrequent Musings. Read about technological innovation from this Harvard professor on his blog.
4. Ed Batista. From Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, this leadership coach writes about leadership and management along with technology.
5. Open IT Strategies. With a focus on creating business models, Joel West writes about IT and business on his blog.
6. beSpacific. This "daily law and technology" blog frequently discusses topics of homeland security, e-government, cybercrime, and the Patriot Act.
7. Light Blue Touchpaper. From University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory, this blog includes essays from researchers focusing on the most recent developments in computer security.
8. Financial Cryptography. Discussing issues surrounding security, software engineering, economic impacts, and more, this blog offers a very cerebral approach to the topics.
9. Freedom to Tinker. Published by Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy, this blog includes articles on Internet security, intellectual property, and many other technology topics.
10. Center for Internet and Society People and Blogs. A part of the Stanford Law School, this blog serves as clearinghouse of blogs with a focus on all things Internet.
11. iBlawg. Drawing from Duke Law School’s Intellectual Property program, this blog serves as a source of information for law and technology.

Sports

Anyone who can remember all the statistical information that an avid sports fan can definitely qualifies as smart. Read these sports blogs and exercise your brain.

1. The Wages of Wins Journal. A companion piece to their book The Wages of Wins, these three professors of economics examine the economics of sports.
2. SportsBiz - The Business of Sports Illuminated. Economics and sports meet in this blog that takes a look at how the two work together.
3. I’m Writing Sports. Written by a journalism student and aspiring sports writer, this blog features sports at both the professional and college level.
4. The Quad. Learn all about college sports in this blog from the New York Times.
5. Bleacher Report. Not only can you read this blog, but members can also participate in the editing process to ensure the best quality sports news articles.
6. Sports, Media & Society. Take a look at how media and society approach women in sports with this blog written by a sports journalist and professor.
7. Women’s Sports Blog. This blog with a focus on women’s sports includes news and information about women’s sports, including basketball, soccer, field hockey, and more.
8. View from North America. This blog covers North American sports with a heavy emphasis on college football.
9. Mechelle Voepel. This ESPN writer covers women’s sports among other things in this well-written personal blog.

International Perspective

Follow these writers to learn about life around the world with blogs that describe culture, technology, human rights, and more.

1. My heart’s in Accra. A part of Global Voices, Ethan Zuckerman blogs about Africa, development, and the media here.
2. Bankelele. Learn about Kenya, banking, finance, and more with this blog.
3. Adventures of Mr. Behi. Living in the Netherlands, this Iranian man blogs about his experiences of travel and meeting others in different countries.
4. El Oso. Get a Latin American perspective with this blog–it’s also available in Spanish.
   solanasaurus. This Danish-Puerto Rican journalist shares her experiences as she lives and works in New York.
5. thebillblog. This British journalist focuses specifically on digital culture in his blog.
6. shioyama. Read in either English or Japanese at this blog that focuses on media, translation, and technology in Japan.
7. Within/Without. From Bangladesh but currently living in London, Neha Viswanathan shares her experiences of life across cultures.
8. Inba’s Corner. The beautiful posts on this blog will bring you the perspective of a modern woman in India as she lives her life.
   

Art

Whether you want to learn about art or just appreciate the beauty, these blogs will provide you with a healthy dose of art smarts.

1. Art News Blog. Get the latest news in the world of art from this blog.
2. Graphic Arts. This blog from Princeton shows photos of recent acquisitions as well as the history behind each piece.
3. New Art. The posts in this blog profile art by a variety of artists as well as some of the background of the artist and pieces.
4. Art Knowledge News. With updates about exhibits as well as information about art, artists, museums, and more, this blog will keep you up-to-date with what is happening in the art world.
5. art.blogging.la. While this blog primarily posts information on what is happening in the art circles of Los Angeles, it is worthwhile information if you are interested in art.
6. Art Esprit. This curator and gallery owner posts about fine art and crafts that she stumbles upon.
7. The Intrepid Art Collector. This blog updates you with information on the art market as well as art book and museum reviews.
8. Modern Art Notes. Modern and contemporary art are the focus of this blog where you can learn about art from a well-respected blogger.
9. Conscientious. This blog features contemporary fine-art photography with information about the photographers as well as reviews of photography books and magazines.
10. Edward_Winkleman. Described as "art, politics, gossip, and tough love," this blog will enlighten you on the art world in New York.
    

Literature

Get book reviews, learn about the latest in the world of literature, and more with these blogs.

1. The Feminist Spectator. Written by a professor at Princeton, this blog provides analyses of film, theater, and other performances with an emphasis on the feminist presence and how it relates to society.
2. Indiana University Press Blog. Learn about authors, watch interviews, and participate in the community through various methods all on this blog.
3. Yale Press Log. Get the latest information on books published by Yale University Press as well as interviews and more at this blog.
4. A Different Stripe. This blog from New York Review of Books Classics brings information on both classics and new works.
5. Blog of a Bookslut. Don’t let the name fool you, this is a blog about serious literature–it just doesn’t take itself too seriously.
6. So Many Books. This reader shares what she’s reading as well as a bit about reading and books in general.
7. 3000 Books. Reading an average of 50 books a year, this blogger shares reviews of all those books as she goes.
8. Blogging the Canon. Finding himself with the desire to read all the classics he felt he should have earlier in life, this 40-something blogger shares his experiences of reading the classics.
9. But what these unobservant birds. Find reviews, reading challenges, and more at this Canadian blogger’s place.
10. Stanford University Press Blog. Read about the books published by Stanford University Press, which are always of high intellectual quality with a social conscience.
11. Bookfoolery and Babble. From fiction to non-fiction, the book reviews on this blog are so well-written that you want to add them all to your reading list.
    

Science

From medicine to technology, these science blogs will have you learning plenty.

1. Family Medicine Notes. Learn from the experience of this physician who keeps notes of what he learns through his practice and offers advice as well as links to medical news.
2. Secrecy News. Sponsored by the Federation of American Scientists, this blog supports their mission of disclosing government secrecy of scientific research in the name of promoting good public policy.
3. Medgadget. Find out about the latest gadgets making their appearance on the medical scene with this blog.
4. Princeton AIDS Initiative. Learn about the science and policy of AIDS in a global context with this blog.
5. Environmental Sciences Information. Providing links to helpful resources, this blog from Princeton offers the latest news and information that may pertain to the environmental sciences.
6. Wired Science. Keep up with the latest science news with this hip blog that gives science a cool name.
7. Bad Astronomy. This astronomer embraces good science and works to keep out the bad stuff on his blog.
8. bootstrap analysis. Written by an "urban field ecologist," this blog brings you natural history, field work, environmental issues, cats, and even some politics.
9. Pharyngula. Written by a professor at University of Minnesota, Morris, this humorous blog covers science and much more.
10. The Corpus Callosum. This psychiatrist writes about the brain, social science, politics, and more on this cerebral blog.
    

Do It Yourself

Learning how to create what most people buy is a valuable lesson on using your brain and creativity. These blogs will help you do just that.

1. Make: Blog. Learn how to make some seriously cool stuff with this blog from the popular Make Magazine.
2. Instructables Community Blog. Find out how to make the world’s largest pinata or test your Instructables knowledge with a quiz on this blog.
3. Hacks Blog. Make a cake in a coffee mug, a Linux-controlled power switch, or play backed-up Wii games with the information here.
4. DIY City Blog. Independent artists with a DIY flair share their ideas that range from knitted hats to hand-made jewelry.
5. DIY Audio Projects. From vacuum tubes to subwoofers, this blog will help you build your own audio projects.
6. The Automata/Automaton Blog. If you are interested in making or collecting automata or mechanical toys, this blog will provide you with plenty of information.
7. DIY Woodworking, Home Improvement, and Art Projects. From building a guitar to installing a toilet, learn how to do it all here.
8. Gizmodo. Learn to see in 3D or read about the latest tech gadgets at this blog.
9. Hacked Gadgets. Learn to make your computer control an LCD display or create a beer cooler lock down on this blog.
10. Chic Knits. Get your knit on with this blog that offers suggestions, tips, photos, and more to help you knit stuff worth wearing.