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
Economic models often assume equilibrium is reachable under certain conditions, but proving this holds true across every possible complex real-world scenario remains mathematically incomplete. This connects pure mathematics directly to economic theory.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
every
possible
mathematically
equilibrium
haven
resolved
whether
strategy
resource-limited
economy
mathematics-logic
know
philosophy-ethics
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Modern cryptography largely depends on problems assumed, but not proven, to be computationally hard, leaving a theoretical gap in fully guaranteed security. This unresolved foundation underlies much of digital security today.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
don
know
whether
possible
construct
truly
unbreakable
code
only
mathematical
philosophy-ethics
resolved
haven
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
The Prime Number Theorem offers an excellent approximation, but the finer details of exactly how actual prime counts deviate from this smooth prediction remain tied to the still-unproven Riemann Hypothesis. Fully resolving this would refine one of number theory's most central results.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
number
smooth
approximation
haven
proven
whether
primes
below
any
given
know
possible
every
philosophy-ethics
resolved
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Fair division theory has strong results for two-party negotiations, but multi-party fairness guarantees become significantly harder to prove in full generality. This unresolved area connects mathematics with real-world conflict resolution.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
fair
don
know
whether
mathematically
possible
guarantee
perfectly
outcome
any
philosophy-ethics
haven
resolved
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Random graph theory offers probabilistic guarantees for many structures, but proving certainty, rather than high likelihood, for every possible case remains an unresolved and active research area. This affects our understanding of networks in biology, technology, and social systems.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
every
haven
resolved
whether
sufficiently
large
randomly
generated
network
must
philosophy-ethics
know
possible
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Dissection problems, which ask how shapes can be cut and rearranged, often lack complete general solutions beyond specific well-studied cases. This remains an open and often surprisingly difficult area of combinatorial geometry.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
general
haven
proven
whether
there
method
determining
exact
number
ways
philosophy-ethics
know
possible
resolved
every
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some deterministic functions produce output so irregular it resembles randomness, and a complete classification of exactly which rules produce this behavior remains incomplete. This unresolved boundary connects number theory, chaos theory, and computer science.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
deterministic
don
know
whether
possible
fully
characterize
every
mathematical
function
haven
philosophy-ethics
resolved
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Games involving bluffing or incomplete knowledge, like certain card games, resist the same clean mathematical solutions available for games of complete information. This unresolved question remains central to advanced game theory research.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
game
information
hidden
games
haven
determined
whether
every
possible
strategy
philosophy-ethics
resolved
know
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some extremal problems in combinatorics have only been resolved through massive computational brute force, without a more elegant general proof explaining why the answer must be exactly what it is. This unresolved gap raises questions about the nature of mathematical understanding itself.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
possible
resolved
mathematical
haven
whether
prove
exact
largest
size
certain
know
philosophy-ethics
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Certain recursively defined sequences appear statistically random for enormous stretches, yet whether hidden structure always eventually emerges remains an open and evolving question. This connects deeply to both number theory and the study of pseudorandomness.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
whether
always
eventually
don
know
digits
numbers
produced
simple
recursive
haven
philosophy-ethics
resolved
possible
every
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
While many specific systems have proven solutions, a complete general guarantee across every well-posed nonlinear system remains one of mathematics' harder open questions. This affects fields ranging from physics to engineering that rely on such systems.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
proven
guarantee
every
well-posed
system
nonlinear
haven
whether
possible
solution
philosophy-ethics
resolved
know
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Reconstruction problems in geometry ask how much partial information is truly enough to rebuild a full shape with certainty, and general limits for all shape classes remain incompletely understood. This connects pure mathematics to practical fields like imaging and tomography.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
shape
haven
determined
whether
every
finite
geometric
always
perfectly
reconstructed
know
resolved
possible
philosophy-ethics
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Complex systems in nature and mathematics often arise from remarkably simple starting rules, yet no unified theory fully explains or predicts when and how this complexity will emerge. This unresolved question bridges mathematics, physics, and biology.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
theory
fully
predicts
complexity
simple
rules
don
know
whether
possible
philosophy-ethics
haven
resolved
every
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Self-referential paradoxes have challenged logicians for over a century, and while specific paradoxes have been addressed with targeted fixes, no single unified framework has resolved every possible version. This unresolved tension remains central to the foundations of mathematical logic.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
resolved
every
possible
haven
whether
logical
paradox
fully
neutralized
some
philosophy-ethics
know
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
While average behavior is well understood statistically, predicting the exact factor count for any specific number without direct calculation remains fundamentally elusive. This unresolved question touches the probabilistic side of number theory.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
number
predicting
don
know
whether
possible
find
general
rule
exactly
haven
resolved
philosophy-ethics
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
While many algebraic structures have been classified, some corners of abstract algebra still lack a fully confirmed and complete classification of their most basic components. This ongoing effort shapes the foundations of modern algebraic research.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
fully
complete
algebra
haven
determined
whether
possible
construct
list
every
philosophy-ethics
resolved
know
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some optimization problems are proven solvable efficiently, others proven intractable, but a complete boundary map covering every conceivable variation remains incomplete. This unresolved question is central to computational complexity theory.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
boundary
solvable
optimization
every
don
know
whether
exact
between
unsolvable
resolved
haven
philosophy-ethics
possible
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Combinatorial arrangement problems like this remain surprisingly resistant to full general solutions despite their simple appearance. This connects recreational mathematics with deeper unresolved questions in combinatorics.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
every
haven
proven
whether
finite
list
numbers
always
rearranged
sequence
know
possible
resolved
philosophy-ethics
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Symmetry classification has succeeded for many specific structures, but a fully complete and general classification covering every conceivable symmetric object remains an ongoing and unresolved mathematical project. This shapes foundational research in group theory and geometry.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
possible
fully
every
mathematical
object
remains
haven
determined
whether
characterize
philosophy-ethics
resolved
know
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Formal proof systems capture enormous portions of mathematical reasoning, but whether a truly complete and finite rule set exists for absolutely every valid form of proof remains philosophically and technically unresolved. This touches the very foundations of what mathematics is capable of expressing.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
possible
proof
whether
complete
finite
set
every
valid
mathematical
haven
resolved
know
philosophy-ethics