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
Textile factories, especially in regions with weaker environmental regulation, often release dye chemicals directly into rivers, causing serious water pollution. Making this process clean and affordable at industrial scale remains an unresolved challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
textile
water
pollution
haven
solved
make
dyeing
manufacturing
processes
free
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Ships can unintentionally transport invasive species across oceans in the water they carry for stability, introducing them to ecosystems where they can cause serious ecological disruption. Fully preventing this transfer remains inconsistently enforced globally.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
invasive
species
water
ships
don
have
effective
way
prevent
spread
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Old-growth forests support unique biodiversity that can't simply be replaced by planting new trees, since the ecological complexity takes centuries to develop. Protecting the last remaining old-growth forests remains an urgent, unresolved conservation priority.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
biodiversity
old-growth
forests
centuries
yet
fully
prevent
depletion
take
regrow
once
philosophy-ethics
whether
way
mathematics-logic
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Colony collapse disorder continues to threaten commercial and wild bee populations that are essential for pollinating much of the global food supply. A comprehensive solution addressing all contributing factors at once remains unresolved.
health-biology
global-unspecified
collapse
bee
haven
found
way
prevent
colonies
caused
combination
pesticides
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Poaching and illegal trade continue to threaten species like elephants, rhinos, and pangolins despite international protections, because enforcement remains inconsistent and demand persists. Closing this gap between law and enforcement remains an unresolved global conservation issue.
society-governance
global-unspecified
illegal
species
don
have
scalable
way
prevent
wildlife
trafficking
pushing
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Seagrass meadows are highly effective at storing carbon and supporting marine life, but they continue to decline due to pollution, dredging, and coastal development. Restoring them at a pace that matches their loss remains an unresolved challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
biodiversity
loss
seagrass
meadows
carbon
marine
yet
fully
prevent
store
support
whether
philosophy-ethics
way
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Bycatch, the unintentional capture of dolphins, sea turtles, and other non-target species in fishing gear, remains a significant driver of population decline for several marine species. Designing gear that fully prevents this remains technically unresolved.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
gear
species
fishing
non-target
marine
haven
solved
make
industrial
doesn
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
way
prevent
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As farmland expands to meet growing food demand, it frequently cuts through pathways that wildlife species depend on for seasonal migration. Balancing agricultural needs with preserving these corridors remains an unresolved land-use challenge.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
agricultural
wildlife
migration
corridors
don
have
effective
way
prevent
expansion
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Arctic wetlands store significant amounts of carbon that can be released as methane when they thaw, potentially creating a feedback loop that accelerates warming further. Preventing or slowing this release remains beyond current technological capability.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
release
arctic
wetlands
yet
fully
prevent
greenhouse
gases
thawing
temperatures
philosophy-ethics
whether
climate-environment
way
health-biology
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Biodegradable packaging alternatives exist but often don't yet match the protective qualities of traditional plastic needed to keep food safe and fresh for the same duration. Closing this performance gap remains an unresolved materials science challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
plastic
packaging
biodegradable
food
haven
found
way
make
fully
compromising
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Sharks reproduce much more slowly than most fish, making their populations especially vulnerable to overfishing and slow to recover even after protective measures are introduced. Enforcing sustainable limits globally remains an unresolved challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
overfishing
populations
slow
reproduce
recover
don
have
scalable
way
prevent
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As temperatures rise, alpine species are forced to migrate to higher elevations, but many eventually run out of mountain left to climb, risking extinction. Protecting these increasingly squeezed ecosystems remains an unresolved conservation priority.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
alpine
ecosystems
temperatures
species
yet
fully
prevent
loss
warming
push
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
way
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many e-waste recycling operations, particularly in lower-income countries, expose workers to toxic materials with inadequate safety protections. Making this growing industry both effective and safe for workers remains an unresolved labor and environmental issue.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
workers
recycling
safe
materials
haven
solved
make
electronic
waste
facilities
whether
philosophy-ethics
economics-resources
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Excess nitrogen from agricultural fertilizer washes into rivers and eventually the ocean, fueling algae blooms that deplete oxygen and create dead zones where marine life can't survive. Reducing this runoff while maintaining crop yields remains an unresolved balancing act.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
nitrogen
runoff
fertilizer
ocean
dead
zones
don
have
effective
way
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
agreed
prevent
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Dams provide clean energy and water management benefits but can block the migration routes that many freshwater fish species depend on to reproduce. Designing infrastructure that serves both human and ecological needs remains an unresolved engineering challenge.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
freshwater
fish
migration
routes
yet
fully
prevent
decline
populations
caused
whether
philosophy-ethics
climate-environment
way
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Aggressive logging can strip forest soil of the nutrients and structure it needs to regenerate tree cover, sometimes leading to long-term land degradation. Making logging practices consistently sustainable remains an unresolved global industry challenge.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
logging
forest
practices
haven
found
way
prevent
depletion
topsoil
caused
philosophy-ethics
whether
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Invasive plants can spread aggressively in protected parks and reserves, outcompeting native species even where conservation efforts are actively underway. Effective, affordable control methods that don't damage the broader ecosystem remain incomplete.
health-biology
global-unspecified
don
invasive
species
native
protected
have
scalable
way
prevent
plant
philosophy-ethics
determine
whether
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As temperatures rise, mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects are expanding into regions that were previously too cold for them to survive, introducing new health and ecological risks. Tracking and responding to this shift remains an unresolved public health and conservation challenge.
health-biology
global-unspecified
public-health
shift
disease-carrying
insects
new
regions
yet
fully
prevent
warming-driven
geographic
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
haven
climate-environment
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many reforestation projects plant fast-growing single species rather than rebuilding complex, biodiverse forest ecosystems, which limits their true ecological value. Making these projects genuinely restorative rather than just visually green remains an unresolved challenge.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
projects
reforestation
rebuilding
biodiverse
forest
ecosystems
haven
solved
make
large-scale
philosophy-ethics
whether
climate-environment
way
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Vultures help prevent disease spread by consuming carcasses quickly, but populations have declined sharply in various regions due to poisoning and habitat loss. Protecting this often-overlooked but ecologically important species remains an unresolved conservation issue.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
have
prevent
populations
don
effective
way
decline
vulture
play
crucial
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
