Why don’t some people practice what they preach? Researchers reveal that a brain region called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is involved. Publishing March 19 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports, the researchers used fMRI imaging to identify brain activity patterns associated with moral behavior and judgement. People who behaved dishonestly despite judging the same behavior as immoral in others had less activity in the vmPFC, and when the researchers stimulated participants’ vmPFCs, they became more morally inconsistent. 

A new University of Missouri study suggests mental health policies can play a significant role in how Americans choose political candidates.

In a new analysis, researchers document concentration across commercial, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid markets, examining how asymmetric information—particularly adverse selection—interacts with market power to shape premiums, plan designs, and consumer welfare. They conclude that consolidation of insurers boosts premiums, and they call for regulation and antitrust oversight.

The 2026 Stockholm Water Prize has been awarded to Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH, for bridging water science, policy, diplomacy and public engagement, including through his influential “water bankruptcy” concept.