Repository of problems worth solving
World Solve is a public institutional repository for identifying real unresolved problems across science, society, health, governance, economics, and local systems. Each entry is intended to be citable, inspectable, and actionable.
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4194Total
4194Open
0Solved
9Humans
The problem of misinformation about health spreading continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
misinformation
about
health
spreading
establishing
other
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving compassion fatigue spreading. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient. The required intervention must integrate community knowledge, data and appropriate technology while remaining affordable, privacy-preserving and operable with minimal external support. Strong solutions will articulate measurable impact metrics, risk mitigation strategies, and a plan for sustained operation by local actors after the pilot phase.
compassion
fatigue
spreading
building
effective
social-civic-problems
The problem of regenerative farming slow to spread continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
regenerative
farming
slow
spread
creating
other
The problem of superbugs spreading continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
superbugs
spreading
strengthening
global
capacity
other
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving conspiracy theories spreading. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient. The required intervention must integrate community knowledge, data and appropriate technology while remaining affordable, privacy-preserving and operable with minimal external support. Strong solutions will articulate measurable impact metrics, risk mitigation strategies, and a plan for sustained operation by local actors after the pilot phase.
conspiracy
theories
spreading
building
effective
social-civic-problems
fake news spreading faster than truth remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
fake
news
spreading
faster
truth
other
The problem of insects expanding their range and spreading disease continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
insects
expanding
range
spreading
disease
other
rapid spread of plant diseases remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
rapid
spread
plant
diseases
building
health-biology
The problem of open defecation continuing to spread disease continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
open
defecation
continuing
spread
disease
other
Addressing widespread destruction of wildlife habitats is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
widespread
destruction
wildlife
habitats
2030
mathematics-logic
Addressing widespread diseases caused by contaminated water is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
widespread
diseases
caused
contaminated
water
mathematics-logic
Engineered microbes, insects, crops, and gene drives may offer major ecological benefits but could spread beyond intended boundaries. The unresolved problem is developing reversible, monitorable, and internationally governed release frameworks. The solution must work with limited capital, intermittent services, and local maintenance capacity. The research opportunity is to define measurable success criteria, test the approach in realistic settings, identify failure modes, and create a pathway from prototype to accountable deployment.
mathematics-logic
release
engineered
safe
environmental
organisms
low-income
communities
microbes
insects
crops
technology-computing
economics-resources
climate-environment
society-governance
systems
quantum
infrastructure
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Attackers can automatically test massive numbers of previously leaked username and password combinations across many websites to find accounts where the same credentials still work. Reducing the effectiveness of this widespread technique remains an unresolved security challenge.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
leaked
password
haven
found
way
prevent
large-scale
automated
account
takeover
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Bad actors can spread coordinated campaigns across several platforms at once, and current detection systems often work in isolation per platform rather than recognizing the broader cross-platform pattern. Building this kind of coordinated detection remains an unresolved industry challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
coordinated
systems
platforms
build
fully
reliable
detect
inauthentic
behavior
multiple
technology-computing
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
haven
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
A fabricated but realistic-seeming weather alert or disaster warning could spread panic or cause people to take unnecessary risky action before it's identified as false. Faster detection and correction systems for this kind of misinformation remain underdeveloped.
society-governance
global-unspecified
systems
weather
disaster
haven
found
way
prevent
generating
convincing
fake
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
mathematics-logic
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Realistic AI-generated video of fake news anchors delivering false information can be produced quickly and convincingly, and detection systems still struggle to flag this content before it spreads widely. Staying ahead of this format remains an unresolved media integrity challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
systems
fake
ai-generated
news
anchors
build
fully
reliable
prevent
being
whether
philosophy-ethics
technology-computing
mathematics-logic
resolved
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Fake audio clips of political figures making statements they never actually said can spread quickly, and current detection tools don't always catch high-quality fakes before real damage to public understanding occurs. Improving detection speed and reliability remains urgent and unresolved.
society-governance
global-unspecified
detection
fake
audio
political
build
fully
reliable
systems
ai-generated
disinformation
philosophy-ethics
whether
way
resolved
technology-computing
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
AI can generate large volumes of convincing, varied text quickly, making it easier for bad actors to run coordinated disinformation campaigns that are harder to detect than repetitive, obviously automated posts. Staying ahead of this evolving tactic remains an unresolved challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
coordinated
disinformation
campaigns
haven
found
way
prevent
chatbots
being
weaponized
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
mathematics-logic
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Despite improved detection tools, non-consensual intimate images can still spread quickly across platforms before removal, causing lasting harm to victims. Faster, more comprehensive detection and removal systems remain an urgent unmet need.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
systems
non-consensual
intimate
build
fully
effective
automated
detect
remove
imagery
society-governance
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
resolved
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
When one website's user database is breached, attackers often successfully reuse those same stolen credentials on other unrelated websites where people reused the same password. Preventing this cascade of breaches remains an ongoing security challenge despite widespread password reuse warnings.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
reused
haven
solved
prevent
large-scale
credential
stuffing
attacks
exploit
passwords
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
resolved