12 Science Blogs You Should Be Reading

Albert Einstein is known to have described himself as being passionately curious – and it’s interesting to ponder the question how would he have managed with Google?

Internet research is an unwieldy beast for the curious. You can narrow your focus too much, or be crushed by information overload. You could spend weeks downloading papers, and yet miss the truly exciting things happening in scientific research right now. Information overload makes users less likely to interact, whereas simple messages, such as a short article in a news blog, are more likely to encourage conversation.

And this is why we love science blogs. The best science news blogs don’t just report scientific breakthroughs, they also present good science in an understandable format that encourages the important conversations that we need to have about science today.

We’ve put together this list of great science blogs to make it easier for you to keep up with the science news of the world.

Science News

Science News is run by the Society for Science & the Public (SSP), a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. Founded in 1921, the SSP has been informing, educating, and inspiring their readers with award-winning publications and world class science competitions for almost a century. Their blog alone has almost 100,000 subscribers, as well as millions of unique visitors and social media followers.

They’ll let you know about everything from the Pluto rendezvous to how prisons treat psychopaths.

Science Blog

Science Blog doesn’t have the offline heritage of Science News, but this blog – which began in 2002 – is a forerunner in Internet speak. Most of what you read on Science Blog are press releases from the labs doing the research, while the rest of the blog is maintained by the readers themselves. This is a great site to get your science story published and to join vibrant dialogues with other science enthusiasts.

Find out which extra sense musicians use when they hear music, or why people watch cat videos on the Internet.

Discover Magazine

Maybe you’d rather watch Discover Magazine’s drone footage of an iceberg collapsing, or read about which antidepressant may cure Ebola. Discover Magazine makes no apologies for captivating its readers with all the latest in news in science. Understandable and relevant stories that are accompanied by spectacular photography makes this blog compelling reading.

ScienceSeeker

You know that the research to answer your question must be out there somewhere, but how do you find it? ScienceSeeker doesn’t just capture the articles that will hit the headlines, they aggregate all the science reporting, analysis and discussion taking place in the world today, because who knows what tiny piece of data will be a game changer?

At ScienceSeeker you’ll have access to over 21,000 science blogs and other publications with information organised into topics. Check out their editor’s picks, or add them to your Twitter feed.

Science 2.0

Science 2.0 isn’t to be confused with Web 2.0, but it serves the same ideals of collaboration, communication, participation and publication. Unlike the Web, Science 2.0 isn’t a free-for-all where any nutter can publish their theories on life, the universe and everything else they haven’t studied with scientific rigour. Many of the writers are prominent book authors, research professors, post-docs, qualified journalists and science bloggers.

Science 2.0 has everything from how to build your own Lego optic beam splitter, to the latest findings in cancer research.

Nature

Although there are a lot of good science blogs around, you knew it was inevitable that Nature would be somewhere on this list. Nature, the world’s most highly cited interdisciplinary science journal, continues its work online with its news blog.

Backed by the authority and credentials of Nature, the blog hosts insightful reporting of the matters that affect scientists and the general public today, such as this article on fossil fuels.

ScienceInsider

There’s no need to wait for your next Science journal to come in the mail. Their award-winning news site is updated daily with breaking news from around the world.

Visit ScienceInsider for news and analysis around scientific policy, such as the latest government appointments, or to discover how the measles vaccine helps protect against other diseases.

abc science

Our very own ABC has a great science blog for all ages. The multimedia site has everything from videos, podcasts, articles, and even quizzes and games. It’s a great site that also links to the Australian curriculum to help encourage a love for science at an early age.

Popular scientist Dr Karl has his own section, and you’ll even find an article with career advice for PhD graduates.

Science.org

Science.org.au is the brainchild of the Australian Academy of Science, the esteemed institution founded in 1954 headed by Australia’s esteemed physicist Sir Mark Oliphant. This blog is an excellent example of the Academy’s dedication to recognising outstanding contributions to science, public education and awareness of science, and its interest in science policy and international relations.

An example of excellent Australian science includes Associate Professor Ian Frazer’s award for his work on the cervical cancer vaccine The Academy also gives independent reporting of Government funding in Australian science.

Popular Science

Popular Science, the world’s oldest science and technology magazine, also has a great blog. For 140 years they’ve had their ear to the ground, catching the vibrations on every new technology and bringing it to their captive audience. PopSci always has a new technology featured on its site, not just the new gadgets the mainstream press get excited about, but also the big projects and all the big science involved in making them a reality.

Of course they still appeal the DIY geeks too. Learn how to hack a phone with the touch of a hand or see the LightSail in flight.

ScienceNetwork

Western Australia isn’t all about mining – there’s a great science blog coming out of the ScienceNetwork in WA. Supported by the WA Government, the online news service celebrates scientific achievement from Government and private industry sectors throughout the state.

With articles covering how many new mothers experience sexual dysfunction in the first year after giving birth, and how sunlight affects obesity, it’s not surprising that ScienceNetwork articles are regularly republished in print and online media.

Australian Science

This list wouldn’t be complete without giving a special mention the the work of Australian Science in publishing and preserving the best of Australian research and innovation. The non-profit, privately funded organisation is dedicated to the advancement of science, technology and education in Australia.

Australian Science encourages an active online community. If you want to write for the blog, or become a site moderator, check out their publication guidelines here.