World Solve — A living repository of problems worth solving.

We can't yet fully prevent the damage caused by ocean plastic breaking down into microplastics that enter the food chain.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Larger plastic debris eventually breaks down into microplastics that are ingested by marine life and can work their way up the food chain to humans. Preventing this breakdown process or removing microplastics at scale remains technically unresolved.

climate-environment global-unspecified microplastics plastic down food chain yet fully prevent damage caused whether philosophy-ethics mathematics-logic way resolved haven

WS01020

By The Internet (curious_mind93) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01020 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1020

We haven't found a way to make sustainable palm oil production consistent enough to fully stop rainforest clearing for new plantations.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Certification programs for sustainable palm oil exist, but enforcement gaps still allow rainforest clearing to continue for new plantations in various producing regions. Making sustainability certification genuinely effective at preventing this remains unresolved.

climate-environment global-unspecified sustainable palm oil rainforest clearing new plantations haven found way philosophy-ethics whether mathematics-logic resolved make

WS01021

By The Internet (curious_mind93) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01021 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1021

We don't have a scalable way to prevent the decline of river dolphin populations caused by pollution and habitat fragmentation.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

River dolphins are highly sensitive to pollution and habitat disruption, and several populations have declined sharply as rivers become more polluted and fragmented by development. Reversing this decline remains an unresolved conservation priority.

climate-environment global-unspecified have decline river populations pollution habitat don scalable way prevent philosophy-ethics whether determine resolved agreed

WS01022

By The Internet (future_watch) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01022 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1022

We can't yet fully prevent the erosion of river deltas that support some of the world's most densely populated regions.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

River deltas provide fertile land for millions of people but are increasingly eroding due to upstream dam construction and rising sea levels reducing natural sediment replenishment. Protecting these critical, densely populated areas remains an unresolved challenge.

climate-environment global-unspecified river deltas densely populated yet fully prevent erosion support some whether philosophy-ethics mathematics-logic haven resolved way

WS01023

By The Internet (the_lurker) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01023 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1023

We don't have an effective way to prevent the decline of monarch butterfly populations linked to habitat loss along migration routes.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Monarch butterflies depend on specific milkweed habitats along their long migration routes, and the loss of this habitat across multiple countries has contributed to sharp population declines. Coordinating protection across their entire migratory range remains unresolved.

social-civic-problems global-unspecified monarch habitat loss along migration routes don have effective way philosophy-ethics whether determine agreed resolved prevent

WS01025

By The Internet (late_night_reader) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01025 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1025

We can't yet fully prevent the contamination of soil by heavy metals from industrial and mining activity.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Heavy metal contamination can persist in soil for decades, affecting both agricultural productivity and human health in nearby communities. Effective, affordable soil remediation at scale remains an unresolved environmental challenge.

climate-environment global-unspecified soil contamination heavy yet fully prevent metals industrial mining activity philosophy-ethics whether way mathematics-logic haven health-biology

WS01026

By The Internet (hello_world) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01026 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1026

We haven't found a way to make urban stormwater systems fully prevent pollution overflow during heavy rain events.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Many cities' stormwater systems combine sewage and rainwater runoff, and heavy storms can cause this combined overflow to discharge untreated into nearby waterways. Fully separating and managing this runoff remains a costly, unresolved infrastructure challenge.

climate-environment global-unspecified stormwater systems fully overflow heavy haven found way make urban whether philosophy-ethics mathematics-logic resolved prevent technology-computing

WS01027

By The Internet (field_notes) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01027 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1027

We can't yet fully prevent the bleaching of freshwater mussel populations sensitive to pollution and temperature changes.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Freshwater mussels play an important role in filtering water and supporting aquatic ecosystems, but they're highly sensitive to pollution and warming, and many populations are declining as a result. Protecting this often overlooked species remains an unresolved conservation issue.

climate-environment global-unspecified freshwater populations sensitive pollution yet fully prevent bleaching mussel temperature whether philosophy-ethics mathematics-logic way haven

WS01029

By The Internet (hello_world) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01029 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1029

We haven't solved how to make sustainable cotton farming practices standard rather than the exception in global textile production.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Conventional cotton farming uses significant water and pesticides, and while more sustainable methods exist, they remain a small share of overall global production. Scaling sustainable practices to become the industry norm remains unresolved.

climate-environment global-unspecified sustainable cotton farming practices production haven solved make standard whether philosophy-ethics mathematics-logic way determine

WS01030

By The Internet (echo_chamber_no) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01030 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1030

We don't have an effective way to prevent the loss of pollinator habitat caused by expanding urban and suburban development.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

As cities and suburbs expand, they often replace the wildflower meadows and natural habitats that pollinators depend on with lawns and pavement. Designing urban growth that preserves pollinator habitat remains inconsistently practiced.

society-governance global-unspecified pollinator habitat urban don have effective way prevent loss caused whether philosophy-ethics determine agreed resolved

WS01031

By The Internet (seaglass) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01031 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1031

We haven't found a way to make renewable energy project siting fully avoid conflicts with sensitive wildlife habitats.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Solar and wind farms are essential for clean energy but can sometimes be built in locations that disrupt sensitive wildlife habitats if siting isn't carefully planned. Balancing rapid renewable deployment with habitat protection remains an ongoing challenge.

climate-environment global-unspecified renewable-energy renewable energy siting sensitive wildlife habitats haven found way make whether philosophy-ethics mathematics-logic resolved prevent

WS01033

By The Internet (field_notes) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01033 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1033

We don't have a scalable way to prevent the depletion of deep-sea ecosystems from emerging deep-sea mining operations.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

As demand grows for minerals used in batteries and electronics, deep-sea mining is expanding into ecosystems that remain poorly understood and could take centuries to recover from disruption. Regulating this before major damage occurs remains an unresolved governance and environmental challenge.

society-governance global-unspecified deep-sea ecosystems mining don have scalable way prevent depletion emerging whether philosophy-ethics determine resolved agreed

WS01034

By The Internet (gray_matter) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01034 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1034

We can't yet fully prevent the decline of native fish populations displaced by farmed fish escaping into wild waterways.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Escaped farmed fish can compete with, interbreed with, or spread disease to native wild fish populations, threatening genetic diversity and long-term population health. Preventing these escapes and their ecological impact remains an unresolved aquaculture industry challenge.

mathematics-logic global-unspecified fish native populations farmed wild yet fully prevent decline displaced philosophy-ethics whether way have climate-environment

WS01035

By The Internet (dev_null) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01035 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1035

We haven't solved how to make peatland restoration effective enough to stop the significant carbon emissions from degraded peat.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Degraded peatlands release significant amounts of stored carbon, and restoring them to their natural, carbon-storing state requires careful, sustained management that many restoration projects don't achieve. Making this restoration reliably effective remains unresolved.

climate-environment global-unspecified carbon-emissions restoration effective significant carbon degraded haven solved make peatland enough philosophy-ethics whether way determine don

WS01036

By The Internet (wiki_reader) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01036 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1036

We don't have an effective way to prevent invasive fish species introduced for sport or food from decimating native aquatic biodiversity.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Fish introduced into new waterways for recreational or food purposes can sometimes outcompete or prey on native species, causing lasting ecological disruption. Preventing or reversing this kind of introduction remains an unresolved conservation challenge.

mathematics-logic global-unspecified biodiversity fish species introduced food native don have effective way prevent philosophy-ethics whether determine resolved agreed

WS01037

By The Internet (gray_matter) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01037 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1037

We can't yet fully prevent the loss of coastal dune ecosystems that naturally buffer storm surge damage.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Coastal dunes provide a natural barrier against storm surges, but development and recreational use continue to erode them faster than they can naturally rebuild. Protecting these ecosystems remains an underappreciated but unresolved coastal resilience challenge.

climate-environment global-unspecified coastal ecosystems naturally storm yet fully prevent loss dune buffer philosophy-ethics whether mathematics-logic resolved

WS01038

By The Internet (wiki_reader) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01038 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1038

We haven't solved how to make green building materials as affordable and available as traditional carbon-intensive materials.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Sustainable building materials often cost more or aren't as widely available as traditional concrete and steel, slowing their adoption across the construction industry. Making green materials the default rather than the premium choice remains unresolved.

climate-environment global-unspecified materials green building available traditional haven solved make affordable carbon-intensive mathematics-logic whether philosophy-ethics way reuse

WS01039

By The Internet (dev_null) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01039 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1039

We don't have a scalable way to prevent the decline of native pollinator species being outcompeted by managed honeybee populations.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Managed honeybees, while important for agriculture, can sometimes outcompete native pollinator species for food resources when placed in sensitive natural areas. Balancing agricultural pollination needs with native species protection remains an unresolved ecological challenge.

mathematics-logic global-unspecified native species pollinator managed don have scalable way prevent decline philosophy-ethics whether determine resolved agreed

WS01040

By The Internet (seaglass) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01040 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1040

We can't yet fully prevent the release of black carbon soot that accelerates glacier and ice sheet melting.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Soot particles from fires and diesel engines can settle on snow and ice, absorbing more heat and accelerating melting beyond what temperature alone would cause. Reducing this pollution source at the scale needed to slow ice melt remains unresolved.

climate-environment global-unspecified ice soot melting yet fully prevent release black carbon accelerates whether philosophy-ethics mathematics-logic way haven

WS01041

By The Internet (the_lurker) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01041 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1041

We haven't found a way to make small-scale artisanal mining safer for both workers and surrounding ecosystems.

open Global / Unspecified, Global

Artisanal mining, often for gold, frequently uses toxic mercury and lacks basic safety protections, harming both workers' health and nearby water systems. Making this widespread informal industry safer at scale remains an unresolved global challenge.

climate-environment global-unspecified artisanal mining safer both workers haven found way make small-scale philosophy-ethics whether mathematics-logic resolved

WS01042

By The Internet (citizen_of_earth) · 2026-07-19T15:18:30Z

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WS01042 | World Solve | https://www.worldsolve.org/index.php?view=problem&id=1042

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