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
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Cephalad fluid shifts in microgravity increase intracranial pressure, leading to structural eye deformation and vision impairment. Non-invasive, flight-ready therapies or fluid-redistribution suits are urgently required.
science-space
global-unspecified
vision
spaceflight-associated
neuro-ocular
syndrome
sans
impairs
long-duration
astronaut
cephalad
fluid
health-biology
affordable
way
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
While kinetic impactors work against predictable asteroids, long-period comets can appear with less than a year's warning. Rapid-response high-yield interception systems are needed to protect Earth from unexpected impacts.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
have
proven
way
divert
planet-threatening
comet
short-notice
trajectory
while
kinetic
systems
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
don
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Shipping structural habitat materials from Earth is cost-prohibitive. We must develop 3D-sintering or concrete binder technologies that use local soil to withstand vacuum pressure and severe thermal cycling.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
have
proven
way
construct
durable
air-tight
habitats
out
raw
lunar
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
don
determine
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Standard lithium-ion batteries lose efficiency and fail at sub-zero temperatures without dedicated thermal heaters. Development of solid-state or low-temperature tolerant electrolyte batteries is essential for planetary night survival.
science-space
global-unspecified
batteries
temperatures
lack
low-mass
high-capacity
suitable
extreme
cold
deep
space
climate-environment
haven
electric
recycling
solved
vehicle
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Understanding how life originally formed from non-living chemicals informs where to look for life across the galaxy. Laboratory synthetic prebiotic chemistry and planetary sample analyses are required to settle this debate.
science-space
global-unspecified
not
know
earth
abiogenesis
occurred
hydrothermal
vents
surface
volcanic
pools
life
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
don
mathematics-logic
In archipelagic nations like the Philippines, vulnerable households repeatedly lose livestock, crops, and home infrastructure to severe seasonal storms. Standard microfinance models often default during disasters, compounding debt cycles rather than relieving poverty.
climate-environment
asia
philippines
poverty
haven
developed
climate-resilient
financial
instruments
prevent
coastal
communities
falling
global-unspecified
economics-resources
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
Indigenous peoples routinely lack formal land titles to ancestral territories, leading to forced displacement and loss of livelihoods when lands are designated for industrial agriculture, mining, or forestry concessions.
economics-resources
asia
laos
land
indigenous
haven
resolved
tenure
insecurity
tribal
minority
communities
southeast
climate-environment
global-unspecified
society-governance
climate
lack
Seasonal burning of paddy straw remains the fastest, cheapest land clearing method for farmers, but it generates severe toxic haze affecting public health and air travel across multiple neighboring countries.
health-biology
asia
india
public-health
burning
haze
haven
solved
agricultural
crop
residue
causing
regional
transboundary
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
Poor supply chain oversight allows fake antibiotics, malaria medications, and life-saving drugs to enter rural retail markets, leading to treatment failures and drug resistance.
economics-resources
asia
myanmar
supply-chain
rural
haven
solved
crisis
counterfeit
substandard
pharmaceuticals
circulating
decentralized
pharmacies
global-unspecified
health-biology
african
philosophy-ethics
Wage disparities attract talented science and mathematics graduates to private corporations or urban centers, leaving rural public schools under-resourced in technical disciplines.
mathematics-logic
asia
uzbekistan
rural
public
schools
haven
solved
severe
shortage
qualified
stem
teachers
society-governance
social-civic-problems
access
urban
african
Encroachment on natural urban drainage lakes leaves rainwater with nowhere to sink, causing severe flash flooding that shuts down entire economic centers.
economics-resources
asia
india
flash
urban
flooding
natural
haven
solved
catastrophic
caused
total
loss
climate-environment
global-unspecified
cities
systems
african
The rapid adoption of electric rickshaws and scooters creates a massive wave of end-of-life batteries that are dumped in open landfills due to lack of local recycling facilities.
climate-environment
asia
india
recycling
batteries
electric
haven
built
scalable
infrastructure
spent
lithium-ion
two
global-unspecified
waste
systems
management
solved
High consumer demand for cheap apparel drives subcontracted garment dye houses to bypass effluent treatment to maintain razor-thin profit margins.
economics-resources
asia
cambodia
haven
eliminated
fast-fashion
textile
sludge
dumping
suburban
waterways
high
consumer
climate-environment
water
global-unspecified
solved
make
Developing Asian countries spend more on servicing foreign debt than on climate adaptation. International financial institutions have not scaled debt swaps effectively.
climate-environment
asia
sri-lanka
debt
asian
haven
created
debt-for-climate
swap
mechanisms
significantly
relieve
sovereign
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
High natural fluoride concentrations in deep groundwater cause irreversible skeletal fluorosis among rural children who lack alternative drinking water.
economics-resources
asia
india
groundwater
fluorosis
rural
haven
solved
crisis
causing
crippling
bone
deformities
global-unspecified
water
access
urban
public
Complex, legacy land ownership patterns in urban centers make land assembly prohibitively expensive for municipal social housing development.
local-regional
asia
thailand
land
urban
social
housing
haven
solved
fragmentation
impeding
large-scale
affordable
global-unspecified
society-governance
cities
social-civic-problems
climate-environment
Plastics dumped in upstream countries flow down international rivers, polluting downstream nations that lack diplomatic enforcement mechanisms.
climate-environment
asia
cambodia
down
international
haven
stopped
transboundary
plastic
pollution
floating
shared
river
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
society-governance
resolved
International carbon credit projects often benefit corporate developers and national governments while indigenous communities protecting the forests receive minimal revenue.
climate-environment
asia
indonesia
carbon
credit
indigenous
haven
created
equitable
distribution
frameworks
forest
stewards
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many common medications cause dry mouth as a side effect, and current treatments manage symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause, leaving patients with ongoing discomfort and dental risk. A more effective solution remains undeveloped.
health-biology
global-unspecified
effective
dry
mouth
medications
don
have
way
treat
chronic
caused
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some patients experience frequent, disruptive muscle cramps with no identifiable underlying cause, and treatment remains largely limited to general advice on hydration and stretching. A more targeted treatment approach remains needed.
health-biology
global-unspecified
muscle
cramps
cause
don
have
effective
widely
available
way
treat
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
