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
Once the spinal cord is severely damaged, current medicine offers little hope of restoring movement. Advances in nerve regeneration and brain-computer interfaces are promising but not yet a real cure.
health-biology
global-unspecified
cure
spinal
don
have
forms
paralysis
caused
injury
once
cord
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
way
mathematics-logic
open
United States, North America
Thousands of people die every year waiting for organs that never become available. Lab-grown organs or better donation systems could close this life-threatening gap.
technology-computing
north-america
united-states
organs
haven
solved
shortage
donor
transplants
thousands
people
die
every
global-unspecified
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Diet and exercise advice hasn't solved the obesity epidemic, and the biological reasons weight loss is so hard to sustain remain only partly understood. A deeper understanding could lead to treatments that actually last.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
obesity
hard
fully
explain
treat
long-term
people
diet
exercise
advice
whether
philosophy-ethics
health-biology
haven
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Detecting serious illness usually still requires multiple separate tests, doctor visits, and significant cost, which many people simply skip. A single affordable screening test could catch problems that currently go unnoticed for years.
health-biology
global-unspecified
test
don
have
cheap
at-home
screen
major
diseases
once
detecting
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
way
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions often go undetected until symptoms are already severe. Earlier, more reliable prediction could allow prevention instead of just treatment after the fact.
health-biology
global-unspecified
mental-health
reliable
mental
haven
found
way
predict
will
develop
illness
starts
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Once the optic or auditory nerves are damaged beyond a certain point, current medicine can't restore lost sight or hearing. Emerging nerve regeneration research is promising but still far from practical treatment.
health-biology
global-unspecified
nerve
reverse
blindness
deafness
caused
damage
cases
once
optic
auditory
philosophy-ethics
whether
don
resolved
way
have
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some people reach old age with sharp minds and healthy bodies, while others decline much earlier, and genetics only explains part of it. Understanding this gap could extend healthy years of life for far more people.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
people
some
age
others
don
fully
understand
slower
healthy
reach
whether
resolved
haven
determine
know
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Millions of people with chronic pain are stuck choosing between inadequate relief or medications that carry serious addiction risk. A safer, equally effective alternative remains one of medicine's most requested breakthroughs.
health-biology
global-unspecified
chronic
pain
addiction
haven
solved
well
enough
treat
risking
millions
philosophy-ethics
whether
way
determine
resolved
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Bacteria are evolving resistance faster than pharmaceutical companies are creating new antibiotics to fight them. Left unresolved, common infections could become deadly again within a few decades.
health-biology
global-unspecified
bacteria
faster
new
antibiotics
stop
antibiotic-resistant
spreading
develop
evolving
resistance
philosophy-ethics
whether
haven
determine
prevent
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some cancers are caught early and treated successfully, while others are found too late simply because no cheap, accurate screening exists for them. Broader early detection could save far more lives than treatment breakthroughs alone.
health-biology
global-unspecified
early
screening
don
have
affordable
cancer
catches
every
type
enough
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
way
resolved
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Hundreds of different viruses cause cold symptoms, making a single cure extremely difficult to develop. It remains one of medicine's most familiar yet unsolved problems.
health-biology
global-unspecified
cure
cold
haven
found
common
despite
decades
trying
hundreds
different
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
determine
resolved
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Organ transplants still require lifelong drugs to stop the body from attacking the new organ, and many patients never get a match at all. Lab-grown organs from a patient's own cells could eliminate both problems.
health-biology
global-unspecified
organs
patient
body
grow
replacement
won
reject
organ
transplants
require
haven
whether
philosophy-ethics
north-america
united-states
solved
open
United States, North America
The flu virus mutates constantly, forcing a new vaccine guess every year that sometimes misses the mark. A universal flu vaccine could end this annual guessing game and prevent thousands of deaths.
health-biology
north-america
united-states
vaccine
flu
universal
don
have
protects
against
all
strains
virus
global-unspecified
philosophy-ethics
determine
whether
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis occur when the body attacks itself, and current treatments mostly suppress symptoms rather than fix the root cause. Millions live with lifelong management instead of a real cure.
health-biology
global-unspecified
cure
symptoms
autoimmune
diseases
only
manage
conditions
like
lupus
rheumatoid
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
mathematics-logic
don
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many fast-growing cities in arid regions are outpacing the water systems built to serve them, leading to shortages and rationing. Solving this needs both new infrastructure and smarter long-term water planning.
sdg-sustainable-development-goals
global-unspecified
water
infrastructure
serve
cities
regions
don
have
enough
clean
growing
climate-environment
urban
whether
philosophy-ethics
society-governance
systems
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Sustainable aviation fuel and electric planes exist in early forms but remain far more expensive than traditional jet fuel. Making clean flying both effective and affordable is still an open engineering and economic problem.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
making
haven
solved
make
air
travel
low-carbon
unaffordable
fuel
sustainable
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
way
climate-environment
affordable
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many major rivers and aquifers are being pumped or diverted faster than rainfall can replenish them, threatening long-term water security. Without better management, some regions may simply run out of accessible fresh water.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
rivers
being
faster
stop
groundwater
drained
refill
water
major
aquifers
whether
philosophy-ethics
urban
don
long
asia
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Entire island nations and coastal communities face losing their homes permanently, with no agreed international process for where they go or who helps pay for it. This is already happening, not just a future risk.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
don
have
fair
way
relocate
people
displaced
rising
sea
levels
whether
resolved
determine
agreed
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Paved surfaces send rainwater rushing into drains that quickly overflow during storms, instead of letting it soak into the ground. Cities designed to absorb water naturally would suffer far less flood damage.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
cities
absorb
instead
haven
built
floodwater
being
destroyed
paved
surfaces
urban
water
african
infrastructure
systems
asia
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide in the short term, and much of it leaks unnoticed from pipelines and wells. Better detection and faster repairs could meaningfully slow near-term warming.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
methane
leaks
gas
track
reduce
oil
infrastructure
worldwide
far
potent
whether
philosophy-ethics
way
determine
don
have
