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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4094Total
4094Open
0Solved
9Humans
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As militaries develop weapons systems capable of selecting and engaging targets with limited human oversight, international law hasn't kept pace with defining acceptable limits. This leaves a rapidly advancing and ethically fraught technology largely unregulated.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
weapons
there
clear
framework
governing
autonomous
warfare
militaries
develop
society-governance
systems
public
whether
oversight
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Analysts sometimes identify a brewing conflict years in advance, but international bodies frequently lack the money or mandate to intervene before violence breaks out. This turns prevention into reaction after the fact.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
conflict
lack
institutions
meant
prevent
often
funding
needed
actually
society-governance
philosophy-ethics
whether
early
systems
african
health-biology
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Money can be moved through jurisdictions with looser financial oversight, effectively laundering funds before they re-enter stricter financial systems elsewhere. Coordinated global standards remain incomplete and unevenly enforced.
society-governance
global-unspecified
laundering
anti-money
rules
differ
between
countries
criminals
exploit
weakest
links
systems
technology-computing
across
oversight
public
financial
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Sanctions meant to pressure governments or individuals can be undermined by countries or companies willing to look the other way for financial benefit. Without stronger enforcement, sanctions can end up symbolic rather than effective.
society-governance
global-unspecified
sanctions
individuals
companies
international
inconsistently
enforced
letting
some
targeted
quietly
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
have
determine
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Legal disagreements over evidence standards, human rights protections, or political considerations often delay extradition requests for years, sometimes indefinitely. This lets serious crimes go unpunished simply due to geography.
society-governance
global-unspecified
extradition
legal
years
processes
between
countries
different
systems
take
letting
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
african
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Criminal networks can move faster across borders than law enforcement agencies can share information and coordinate action. Even close allies often face legal and bureaucratic hurdles that slow joint investigations.
society-governance
global-unspecified
coordinate
governments
struggle
cross-border
responses
organized
crime
operating
multiple
countries
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
have
african
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
One department might have strong protections while another, handling equally sensitive data, has outdated or minimal security. This inconsistency creates weak points that attackers can exploit even in otherwise well-defended governments.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
cybersecurity
even
standards
government
systems
vary
enormously
same
country
different
society-governance
whether
philosophy-ethics
data
public
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Government requests for user data from platforms vary wildly in scope and legal justification from country to country, creating confusion for both companies and citizens about what protections actually apply. A clearer international norm remains unbuilt.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
international
data
companies
there
consistent
standard
governments
request
tech
country
whether
society-governance
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
People who qualify for visas or residency under existing rules can still wait years due to processing backlogs and understaffed agencies. This delay affects not just applicants but the families and employers depending on them.
society-governance
global-unspecified
applicants
years
delay
immigration
systems
wealthy
countries
complex
enough
even
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
resolved
mathematics-logic
lack
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Once a law passes, fixing unforeseen negative consequences can take years of political negotiation, even when the harm is clear and widely acknowledged. Faster correction mechanisms remain rare in most legal systems.
society-governance
global-unspecified
systems
clear
harm
governance
have
fast
process
correcting
laws
turn
technology-computing
whether
philosophy-ethics
climate-environment
public
across
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Citizens can submit formal complaints or petitions to agencies without any guarantee of a response, let alone a timely one. This can make citizen engagement with government feel more symbolic than functional.
society-governance
global-unspecified
government
petitions
complaints
responses
public
often
have
guaranteed
timeline
outcome
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
african
resolved
citizens
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Zoning meetings and planning hearings are frequently held at inconvenient times with minimal outreach, meaning decisions affecting entire neighborhoods get made with only a handful of residents aware. Broader participation methods remain underused.
local-regional
global-unspecified
participation
planning
decisions
residents
public
city
often
limited
processes
don
society-governance
evidence
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Fewer reporters are left covering city councils, local courts, and regional agencies, meaning much of everyday governance now happens with almost no public scrutiny. This local news gap makes accountability at the community level far harder to maintain.
society-governance
global-unspecified
local
news
coverage
government
activity
has
collapsed
regions
traditional
media
economics-resources
recovery
african
africa
remains
conflict
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some school systems barely cover how government works or how to engage with it, leaving graduates unfamiliar with basic civic processes. This gap can quietly weaken democratic participation a generation at a time.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
civic
leaving
education
schools
varies
wildly
young
citizens
unprepared
participate
systems
society-governance
haven
whether
philosophy-ethics
prepare
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Surveys in numerous countries show steadily falling trust in courts, legislatures, and civil services, even as living standards in some of those places have improved. Understanding and reversing this erosion remains a central unsolved governance challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
trust
public
government
institutions
has
been
declining
democracies
decades
surveys
whether
philosophy-ethics
data
services
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Annual budget cycles can force short-term thinking on issues, like infrastructure or education, that really require planning over decades. Building longer-term budgeting tools into government processes remains rare.
society-governance
global-unspecified
government
budgeting
planning
countries
happens
ways
make
long-term
nearly
impossible
african
whether
philosophy-ethics
cities
systems
climate-environment
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Complex bidding requirements often favor large, established companies with dedicated legal teams, shutting out smaller or newer businesses that might offer better value. Simplifying this without opening the door to corruption remains a difficult balance.
society-governance
global-unspecified
businesses
public
procurement
processes
remain
slow
complicated
enough
small
compete
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
determine
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many public programs continue for years based on assumption rather than evidence that they're working, because rigorous evaluation is neither required nor prioritized. Better built-in evaluation could redirect resources toward what actually helps.
society-governance
global-unspecified
programs
actually
government
agencies
rarely
measure
whether
own
achieve
stated
philosophy-ethics
haven
resolved
way
determine
african
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Mistakes in identity documents, tax records, or benefit eligibility can take months or years to fix, causing real harm in the meantime. A faster, more citizen-friendly correction process remains missing in most bureaucracies.
society-governance
global-unspecified
records
citizens
countries
have
simple
way
correct
errors
official
government
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
don
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Government databases holding sensitive information, from tax records to health data, have been breached repeatedly, exposing citizens to fraud and identity theft. Stronger, consistent data protection standards remain unevenly applied across agencies.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
data
citizens
collected
governments
often
poorly
protected
against
misuse
breach
society-governance
whether
systems
philosophy-ethics
african
incomplete
