Anime
Anime News Network -- probably the most "no duh" site on this list. It's a great source for everything anime. It pretty much sets the standard for breaking news in anime.
Yuppie Universe -- although dedicated to more than just anime, this blog has some of the most fantastic manga/anime bloggers on the net. Rio and Ria do an excellent job of writing witty, humorous articles on their favorite anime. Highly recommended.
Science
LiveScience.com -- a great site for science news. Always has interesting articles and fun reads. Fascinating stuff, great for expanding your mind.
Literature
TVTropes -- an excellent Wiki for literary analysis and pop-culture "tropes" -- best defined as motifs that span literature. Overall a great site, but beware, as it is very addictive.