if a popular article is responsibly written, it can provide general background information before you turn to academic journal literature;
point to academic studies that are getting lots of attention; a newspaper or magazine or other popular publication may give a journalistic account of a scientific research project, mention its principal researchers, and mention the academic journal in which the research was published. Keep in mind though that there is a great deal of valuable scientific work that is not "newsworthy"!
Database from LexisNexis® featuring more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790. Primarily in English but some foreign language news as well.