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
GDP growth doesn't capture things like wellbeing, environmental health, or inequality, yet it remains the default measure of a country's economic success. A broader, widely adopted alternative measure remains unsettled.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
mental-health
measure
widely
economic
gdp
growth
don
have
accepted
way
progress
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
High student debt loads are pushing back decisions like buying a home or starting a family for many young adults. Rebalancing the cost of education against its long-term benefits remains a persistent economic problem.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
student
debt
young
adults
haven
solved
prevent
excessive
loan
delaying
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
way
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Farmers, especially in developing countries, often receive a small fraction of the final retail price for their crops, while large intermediaries capture most of the value. A fairer supply chain structure remains largely unresolved.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
supply-chain
farmers
supply
large
yet
ensure
fair
compensation
chains
dominated
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
haven
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
High-interest, exploitative loans continue to target people with limited financial options, often trapping them in cycles of debt. Stronger, consistently enforced protections against this remain incomplete in many regions.
health-biology
global-unspecified
don
have
reliable
way
prevent
predatory
lending
practices
targeting
vulnerable
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Public transit systems that depend heavily on fares often struggle financially, leading to service cuts that push more people toward driving. A more sustainable funding model remains unresolved in many cities.
local-regional
global-unspecified
sustainable
public
transit
cities
haven
found
way
fund
relying
entirely
society-governance
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
systems
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Migrant workers often pay steep fees to send money to family in their home countries, cutting into wages that are frequently already low. Cheaper remittance systems could meaningfully improve financial security for millions of families.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
migrant
workers
money
home
yet
make
cross-border
remittances
affordable
sending
economics-resources
haven
technology-computing
african
whether
informal
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As AI boosts productivity in many industries, the resulting financial gains tend to concentrate with business owners rather than being broadly shared. A fairer distribution mechanism remains a significant unresolved economic question.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
economic
productivity
gains
don
have
fair
way
distribute
benefits
ai-driven
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
prevent
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many well-paying, in-demand jobs don't require a four-year degree, yet vocational paths still often carry less social and economic status. Rebalancing this perception could ease both skills shortages and student debt burdens.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
vocational
degree
haven
solved
make
apprenticeship
training
valued
traditional
college
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
mathematics-logic
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
New, fast-growing markets often attract inexperienced investors right before major price crashes, leading to significant personal financial losses. Protecting newer investors without stifling innovation remains an unresolved balance.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
investors
markets
inexperienced
yet
prevent
speculative
bubbles
emerging
asset
like
whether
philosophy-ethics
way
haven
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Caregiving and household labor, disproportionately done by women, largely goes uncounted in standard economic measures like GDP. This makes an enormous amount of real economic contribution effectively invisible in policy decisions.
society-governance
global-unspecified
economic
labor
like
caregiving
don
have
consistent
way
value
unpaid
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As climate disasters become more frequent, insurance premiums in high-risk areas are rising sharply or disappearing altogether, leaving residents financially exposed. A sustainable model for insuring these regions remains unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
insurance
regions
disasters
haven
found
way
make
affordable
facing
increasing
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Countries rich in oil, minerals, or gas sometimes see little of that wealth reach ordinary citizens due to corruption or unfair contracts. Ensuring resource wealth translates into broad public benefit remains a persistent unsolved problem.
society-governance
global-unspecified
wealth
resource
citizens
countries
yet
ensure
natural
benefits
resource-rich
but
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
determine
public
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Sudden spikes in the price of staple commodities like wheat or rice can trigger food crises in import-dependent countries almost overnight. A more resilient global system to buffer these shocks remains unbuilt.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
system
price
shocks
food
crises
don
have
reliable
prevent
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
way
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Housing price bubbles tend to form, burst, and disproportionately hurt lower-income buyers and renters each cycle. Preventing this pattern from repeating remains a persistent economic policy challenge.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
housing
haven
solved
prevent
boom-and-bust
cycles
markets
repeatedly
hurting
same
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
social-civic-problems
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Access to affordable business loans is heavily skewed toward people who already have assets or established credit, locking out many capable entrepreneurs. A fairer lending system remains an unresolved economic gap.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
business
lending
entrepreneurs
credit
yet
make
small
fair
accessible
existing
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
don
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Trade deals can boost overall economic growth while still leaving specific groups of workers worse off, often in the same country. A consistent, fair way to support those workers remains politically unresolved.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
fair
way
trade
don
have
compensate
people
whose
jobs
eliminated
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
agreed
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Infrastructure projects are sometimes chosen more for political visibility than for genuine community need, leaving real problems unaddressed. Aligning spending with actual need remains a persistent governance challenge.
society-governance
global-unspecified
infrastructure
spending
actual
political
yet
ensure
public
decisions
reflect
needs
philosophy-ethics
whether
real
governance
haven
time
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Immigration policy varies enormously between countries, with no widely accepted standard for what fairness or humane treatment actually requires. This leaves migrants' treatment largely dependent on which country they happen to reach.
society-governance
global-unspecified
standard
humane
immigration
don
have
shared
counts
fair
system
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
way
agreed
health-biology
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Online spaces can accelerate radicalization by connecting isolated individuals with extremist content and communities faster than in the past. Effective, rights-respecting ways to counter this remain unresolved.
science-space
global-unspecified
extremist
online
communities
haven
found
way
prevent
ideologies
radicalizing
people
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Aid money is sometimes available quickly after a disaster, but reaches affected people slowly due to administrative bottlenecks. Cutting this delay without sacrificing accountability remains a persistent logistical challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
disaster
people
delay
yet
make
relief
funding
reach
right
excessive
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
haven
resolved
mathematics-logic
