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
Genetic testing can reveal risk for serious inherited conditions, but cost and access limit it mostly to wealthier patients and countries. Broader affordability could catch preventable conditions far earlier for many more people.
health-biology
global-unspecified
genetic
testing
don
have
affordable
available
everyone
benefit
conditions
reveal
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Autoimmune arthritis causes the body's own immune system to damage joint tissue, leading to chronic pain and disability. Current treatments manage inflammation but don't address why the immune system attacks in the first place.
health-biology
global-unspecified
immune
system
arthritis
haven
found
way
stop
attacking
healthy
joints
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
mathematics-logic
determine
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Blood donation shortages remain a recurring problem worldwide, especially during emergencies when demand spikes suddenly. Lab-grown blood could remove dependence on donor supply entirely, but the technology isn't yet practical at scale.
health-biology
global-unspecified
blood
yet
donor
shortages
grow
lab
reliably
enough
end
donation
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
mathematics-logic
way
affordable
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Tinnitus affects a significant portion of the population and can seriously impact quality of life, yet current treatments only manage symptoms rather than eliminate the underlying cause.
health-biology
global-unspecified
tinnitus
don
have
reliable
cure
constant
ringing
some
people
hear
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
way
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
A small number of people show natural resistance to certain infections or conditions, and understanding why could reveal entirely new treatment approaches. This resistance remains only partially understood at a genetic level.
health-biology
global-unspecified
people
haven
solved
some
naturally
resistant
diseases
affect
nearly
everyone
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
know
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Heart muscle doesn't regenerate well once damaged, often leaving survivors with permanently reduced heart function. Finding a way to regrow healthy heart tissue could transform recovery for millions of survivors.
health-biology
global-unspecified
heart
regenerate
damaged
tissue
yet
attack
survivors
muscle
doesn
well
once
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Unlike infectious diseases, cancer arises from a person's own cells mutating, making a universal vaccine far more complex to design. Progress exists for a few cancer types, but a broadly effective approach remains unsolved.
health-biology
global-unspecified
infectious-disease
cancer
effective
vaccine
types
don
have
unlike
infectious
diseases
arises
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
way
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Artificial lighting confuses migration patterns, hunting behavior, and reproduction cycles in many nocturnal species, yet city lighting keeps expanding with growth. A widely adopted, wildlife-friendly lighting standard remains missing.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
nocturnal
lighting
haven
solved
prevent
light
pollution
disrupting
wildlife
growing
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Cooling saves lives during extreme heat, but most air conditioners rely on energy sources and refrigerants that contribute to climate change. A low-emission cooling solution accessible to poorer regions remains urgently needed.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
climate-change
air
poorer
regions
yet
make
conditioning
widely
available
hot
worsening
whether
philosophy-ethics
heat
haven
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Rivers often flow through multiple countries, and disputes over how much water each country can use remain a persistent source of tension. A widely accepted, fair sharing framework remains unbuilt in many major river basins.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
fair
water
countries
river
don
have
way
manage
rights
between
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Older buildings often waste huge amounts of energy through poor insulation and outdated systems, but retrofitting them is usually expensive and disruptive. Cheaper retrofit solutions could unlock major emissions reductions from existing infrastructure.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
retrofit
buildings
energy
haven
found
affordable
way
old
efficient
older
systems
society-governance
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Poor farming practices and deforestation are wearing away fertile topsoil faster than nature can rebuild it, threatening long-term food production. A scalable solution to reverse this trend remains unresolved globally.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
deforestation
yet
stop
soil
erosion
steadily
reducing
farmland
productivity
worldwide
poor
philosophy-ethics
whether
way
mathematics-logic
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Algae blooms can quickly poison drinking water sources, sometimes going undetected until people or animals get sick. Faster, cheaper detection methods could prevent this from becoming a public health crisis.
health-biology
global-unspecified
public-health
algae
blooms
water
don
have
reliable
affordable
way
detect
toxic
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As electric vehicles become more common, so will the used batteries, most of which still lack an efficient, complete recycling process. Solving this prevents a looming new wave of battery waste.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
electric
batteries
haven
solved
make
vehicle
fully
recyclable
end
life
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
recycling
waste
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Fishing fleets can evade detection in vast, poorly monitored ocean areas, undermining conservation efforts meant to protect fish populations. Better real-time monitoring at sea remains a critical unsolved gap.
society-governance
global-unspecified
fishing
fish
yet
stop
illegal
depleting
stocks
faster
regulations
respond
philosophy-ethics
whether
climate-environment
mathematics-logic
way
prevent
open
United States, North America
Wave energy is abundant and largely untapped, but current technology to harness it reliably and affordably lags far behind wind and solar. Cracking this could add a major renewable source to the global energy mix.
climate-environment
north-america
united-states
energy
wave
don
have
efficient
way
convert
ocean
usable
electricity
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Bees and other pollinators face combined pressure from pesticides, habitat loss, and disease, and addressing just one threat rarely solves the overall decline. A comprehensive solution addressing all major threats together remains unbuilt.
health-biology
global-unspecified
threats
face
haven
found
way
protect
pollinator
populations
multiple
once
philosophy-ethics
whether
prevent
determine
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many products marketed as biodegradable still break down into tiny plastic particles that persist in the environment for years. A truly safe, fully compostable packaging material remains elusive at scale.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
packaging
fully
yet
build
materials
decompose
safely
leaving
microplastics
behind
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
haven
resolved
health-biology
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
In hot, dry climates, a significant portion of irrigation water is lost to evaporation before it ever reaches crop roots. Affordable ways to reduce this loss could ease water stress in agriculture-heavy dry regions.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
water
dry
lost
evaporation
regions
don
have
cheap
technology
capture
whether
philosophy-ethics
urban
determine
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Chemicals and fertilizers seep into groundwater supplies over years, often going unnoticed until wells become unsafe to drink from. Preventing this contamination before it happens remains far harder than detecting it afterward.
local-regional
global-unspecified
groundwater
contamination
haven
solved
prevent
industrial
agricultural
runoff
chemicals
fertilizers
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
resolved
technology-computing
