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
Gig work can offer flexibility but often comes with unpredictable income swings that make financial planning difficult for workers. A system that offers more income stability without eliminating flexibility remains unresolved.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
income
gig
workers
yet
ensure
economy
have
predictable
stable
despite
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
informal
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Local elections often receive far less security attention than national ones, despite being just as vulnerable to disinformation campaigns. Extending stronger protections down to the local level remains incomplete.
society-governance
global-unspecified
local
elections
disinformation
haven
solved
protect
spread
foreign
domestic
actors
might
mathematics-logic
economics-resources
science-space
workers
turn
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Slow, uneven international coordination has repeatedly allowed outbreaks to spread further than they might have with faster joint action. A better-prepared global response system remains incomplete despite repeated warnings.
health-biology
global-unspecified
system
response
spread
yet
build
quickly
coordinate
pandemics
widely
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
have
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Sending money internationally is often slow, expensive, or restricted depending on where you live, despite living in a supposedly connected digital economy. A truly borderless payment system remains unbuilt.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
digital
payment
don
have
interoperable
systems
work
equally
well
whether
philosophy-ethics
technology-computing
resolved
determine
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Data breaches exposing millions of passwords happen with striking regularity, despite widespread awareness of the problem. A more fundamentally secure approach to authentication is still needed.
health-biology
global-unspecified
breaches
haven
found
way
stop
password
happening
regularly
data
exposing
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
prevent
resolved
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Despite decades of robotics research, folding laundry or loading a dishwasher remains far harder for robots than tasks like chess or driving. Everyday physical tasks turn out to be a much harder problem than expected.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
robots
build
affordable
capable
doing
basic
household
chores
reliably
harder
technology-computing
whether
yet
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Scammers constantly find new ways around call-blocking systems, and phone networks still let large volumes of fraudulent calls through. A truly effective, adaptive solution remains elusive.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
calls
yet
stop
spam
scam
reaching
phones
despite
years
filtering
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
haven
resolved
technology-computing
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
If pi is what mathematicians call 'normal,' every string of digits, including your birthday or an entire book encoded in numbers, would appear infinitely often. No proof exists either way, despite pi's digits being computed to trillions of places.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
digits
every
numbers
haven
resolved
whether
contain
possible
finite
sequence
know
philosophy-ethics
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Despite chess being fully deterministic with no hidden information, its complexity is so vast that no one has proven who truly holds the advantage under perfect play. Solving smaller games has offered clues, but full chess remains unresolved.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
chess
has
proven
haven
whether
principle
always
guaranteed
winning
drawing
philosophy-ethics
resolved
possible
know
every
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Despite extensive computation, no proof confirms whether these digits behave truly randomly forever or eventually reveal some hidden structure. This remains an open question bridging number theory and statistics.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
whether
digits
number
don
know
well-known
mathematical
constants
like
euler
haven
philosophy-ethics
resolved
possible
every
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
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
Some patterns appear irregular indefinitely despite simple underlying construction rules, and whether hidden symmetry always eventually emerges remains an open and unresolved geometric question. This connects to both pure mathematics and the study of natural patterns.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
whether
geometric
simple
rules
eventually
hidden
symmetry
don
know
every
haven
resolved
philosophy-ethics
possible
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Rare catastrophic events can cause immense damage despite low probability, while everyday risks accumulate steadily but attract far less attention or resources. This unresolved tension complicates how societies and individuals should rationally allocate concern and resources.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
rare
catastrophic
risks
everyday
don
know
whether
possible
fully
justify
philosophy-ethics
resolved
haven
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
History shows repeated cycles of cruelty and progress alike, and it's unclear whether continued faith in humanity's improvement is genuinely rational or simply a comforting bias. This unresolved tension shapes broader philosophical debates about optimism and historical judgment.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
whether
humanity
repeated
historical
don
have
resolved
way
determine
fair
know
haven
mathematics-logic
ethical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
From childhood to old age, nearly everything about a person changes, yet we treat them as a single continuous identity, and no philosophical account of why has settled the matter. This affects questions about responsibility for past actions.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
person
don
know
makes
someone
same
over
time
despite
constant
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
haven
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Respecting cultural autonomy suggests restraint, but some practices are considered so harmful that many argue intervention becomes a moral obligation despite this respect. This unresolved tension complicates international human rights advocacy.
philosophy-ethics
global-unspecified
moral
haven
resolved
whether
humans
have
duty
intervene
failings
know
determine
mathematics-logic
don
ethical
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
Video calls in poorly lit rooms often still look grainy or dark despite software attempts to compensate, particularly on lower-end hardware. Better real-time image enhancement without expensive hardware remains an unresolved challenge.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
video
software
compensate
don
have
reliable
way
make
webcams
calling
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Despite decades of incremental improvement, printers remain a notoriously unreliable piece of everyday technology prone to jams, connectivity issues, and wasted ink. A truly hassle-free printing experience remains surprisingly elusive.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
technology
jams
ink
decades
yet
build
printer
eliminates
common
paper
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
technology-computing
affordable
determine