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
Many platforms subtly shape user decisions using personal data in ways users don't fully realize or understand. Where persuasion ends and manipulation begins remains a genuinely unsettled ethical line.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
don
ethical
personal
data
decisions
agree
whether
influence
people
explicit
resolved
determine
know
haven
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
New technologies have always displaced some jobs while creating others, but there's no agreed threshold for how much short-term harm is an acceptable cost of long-term progress.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
progress
haven
found
shared
answer
technological
unemployment
society
willing
accept
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
know
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Genetic research sometimes uses samples collected from communities, particularly indigenous ones, without full ongoing consent or benefit sharing. What ethical obligations researchers owe these communities afterward remains unsettled.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
research
genetic
collected
don
agree
say
community
have
over
conducted
whether
determine
resolved
way
agreed
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Predictive policing tools can reflect and reinforce biases present in historical policing data, raising fairness concerns even when the tools reduce some crime. Whether their benefits ethically outweigh this risk remains contested.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
policing
tools
whether
predictive
historical
crime
data
haven
settled
ethical
resolved
mathematics-logic
know
possible
society-governance
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
If a machine intelligence ever matched or exceeded human reasoning, questions about its moral status and rights would become urgent very quickly. Philosophy currently has no settled framework ready for that possibility.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
moral
intelligence
ever
don
agree
consideration
given
future
artificial
general
whether
resolved
determine
know
haven
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Modern supply chains are often optimized for efficiency over resilience, leaving them vulnerable when multiple regions face disruption at once. Rebalancing this trade-off remains an unresolved challenge for global trade.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
supply-chain
supply
chains
yet
ensure
resilient
enough
withstand
simultaneous
regional
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
haven
determine
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Losing species and healthy ecosystems carries real economic consequences, from reduced crop pollination to fewer new medicines, but this cost rarely shows up clearly in economic decision-making. Building this into policy remains largely unresolved.
society-governance
global-unspecified
biodiversity
economic
cost
don
have
widely
accepted
way
price
true
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
agreed
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Credit products are sometimes marketed most aggressively to people least able to manage the resulting debt responsibly. Stronger protections that don't cut off access entirely remain a difficult, unresolved balance.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
debt
marketed
aggressively
people
haven
solved
prevent
excessive
consumer
being
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
mathematics-logic
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Developing countries often pay significantly higher interest rates for clean energy projects than wealthier nations, slowing their transition away from fossil fuels. Fairer, more accessible financing remains a major unresolved barrier.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
renewable-energy
energy
financing
accessible
countries
interest
rates
yet
make
renewable
poorer
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Wages in many countries have grown more slowly than housing, healthcare, and food costs over the past few decades, steadily eroding real purchasing power. Reversing this trend remains a central unresolved economic challenge.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
have
wages
don
reliable
way
ensure
fair
keep
pace
rising
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
prevent
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
A small number of large companies control a significant share of the world's seed and agricultural input supply, raising concerns about farmer dependency and pricing power. More diverse, resilient supply structures remain underdeveloped.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
supply
seed
haven
found
way
prevent
excessive
market
concentration
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
mathematics-logic
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
High childcare costs push many parents, disproportionately mothers, out of the workforce entirely or into reduced hours. Making quality childcare broadly affordable remains an unresolved economic and social policy gap.
society-governance
global-unspecified
childcare
affordable
parents
workforce
yet
make
accessible
enough
support
working
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
mathematics-logic
technology-computing
climate-environment
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Workers and entire regional economies built around coal, oil, and gas face major disruption as the world shifts to cleaner energy. A fair, well-funded transition plan for these communities remains incomplete in most countries.
local-regional
global-unspecified
fair
transition
don
have
approach
managing
away
fossil
fuel
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
way
agreed
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
School funding tied to local property taxes in many places creates stark differences in educational quality based purely on geography. Equalizing this access remains a persistent, unresolved policy challenge in many countries.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
access
quality
yet
guarantee
equal
public
education
regardless
family
neighborhood
remains
whether
philosophy-ethics
african
low
economics-resources
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Regulators sometimes come from, or later move into, the very industries they oversee, raising ongoing concerns about impartiality. Structural solutions to this revolving door problem remain inconsistently applied.
health-biology
global-unspecified
regulators
industries
don
have
reliable
way
prevent
conflicts
interest
among
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Government budgets are often too complex or poorly communicated for the average citizen to meaningfully track or understand. Better transparency tools could improve both trust and accountability in public spending.
society-governance
global-unspecified
government
understand
spending
haven
solved
make
budgeting
processes
transparent
enough
whether
philosophy-ethics
public
resolved
mathematics-logic
african
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Historical mistreatment and inconsistent messaging have left some communities more distrustful of public health guidance than others, undermining response to outbreaks and vaccination campaigns. Rebuilding this trust remains a slow, unresolved process.
health-biology
global-unspecified
public-health
vaccination
public
health
messaging
communities
yet
ensure
trusted
equally
all
historical
society-governance
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Rules protecting children online vary significantly by country and platform, leaving major gaps that put young users at risk. A more consistent global standard remains politically and technically difficult to establish.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
consistent
standard
protecting
children
online
don
have
international
different
platforms
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
way
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
False information about disaster response, shelters, or aid can spread rapidly during emergencies, sometimes putting lives at further risk. Faster, trusted communication channels during crises remain underdeveloped in many regions.
society-governance
global-unspecified
during
haven
found
way
prevent
misinformation
spreading
specifically
natural
disasters
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Public hearings and consultations are often required by law but sometimes function more as formalities than genuine two-way input processes. Making these processes truly meaningful remains an unresolved governance challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
public
consultations
input
yet
ensure
major
projects
genuinely
reflect
community
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
designing
services
institutions
