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
Addressing more powerful and destructive storms is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
powerful
destructive
storms
2030
establishing
mathematics-logic
rising sea levels threatening coastal populations remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
rising
sea
levels
threatening
coastal
other
growing risk of mass species extinction remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
growing
risk
mass
species
extinction
other
Addressing widespread destruction of wildlife habitats is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
widespread
destruction
wildlife
habitats
2030
mathematics-logic
Removing debris may require technologies capable of approaching, manipulating, or disabling other spacecraft. The challenge is creating verification and trust mechanisms so debris removal does not become covert anti-satellite capability. The solution must work with limited capital, intermittent services, and local maintenance capacity. The research opportunity is to define measurable success criteria, test the approach in realistic settings, identify failure modes, and create a pathway from prototype to accountable deployment.
science-space
debris
removal
technologies
space
dual-use
low-income
communities
removing
may
require
technology-computing
economics-resources
climate-environment
society-governance
systems
quantum
infrastructure
increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
increasing
frequency
intensity
wildfires
designing
other
accelerating loss of the world's forests remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
accelerating
loss
world
forests
strengthening
climate-environment
Addressing marine animals dying after ingesting plastic is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
marine
animals
dying
after
ingesting
climate-environment
massive accumulation of plastic in the oceans remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
massive
accumulation
plastic
oceans
implementing
climate-environment
Addressing high vehicle emissions damaging health and climate is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
high
vehicle
emissions
damaging
health
climate-environment
The problem of dangerous levels of air pollution in cities continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
dangerous
levels
air
pollution
cities
other
When people rent out unused cognitive capacity during daydreaming, buyers may leave behind persistent mental traces. The problem is creating clean separation between leased neural resources and the host’s own cognition so that temporary economic use does not produce lasting psychological or identity effects.
preventing
residual
thought
contamination
rented
economics-resources
Addressing people forced to sleep on the streets is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
people
forced
sleep
streets
2030
mathematics-logic
housing that remains unaffordable for ordinary families remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.
remains
housing
unaffordable
ordinary
families
social-civic-problems
Modern economies rely on precise timing for finance, telecom, energy, and navigation. Future systems need resilient alternatives to single-source satellite timing during cyberattacks, solar storms, and geopolitical crises. The solution must work with limited capital, intermittent services, and local maintenance capacity. The research opportunity is to define measurable success criteria, test the approach in realistic settings, identify failure modes, and create a pathway from prototype to accountable deployment.
science-space
asia
india
timing
secure
space-based
terrestrial
disruptions
low-income
communities
modern
economies
rely
technology-computing
economics-resources
climate-environment
society-governance
systems
Addressing unsafe and hazardous working conditions is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
unsafe
hazardous
working
conditions
2030
mathematics-logic
The problem of mass unemployment and underemployment continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
mass
unemployment
underemployment
scaling
successful
other
The problem of unequal treatment of boys and girls in schools and homes continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.
unequal
treatment
boys
girls
schools
other
When local weather can be bought in advance, wealthier areas may secure preferred conditions while poorer ones experience residual or adverse patterns. The challenge is creating equitable allocation mechanisms for atmospheric resources that do not deepen existing social divides or disrupt larger climate systems.
climate
weather
preventing
micro
inequality
climate-environment
Addressing widespread diseases caused by contaminated water is critical for achieving the 2030 Agenda. Current efforts fall short in scale, speed and equity, leaving the most vulnerable behind. Any viable solution must function in low-resource settings with limited specialists, transport, laboratory capacity and broadband. Proposals should specify quantifiable biological, social or environmental outcomes, openly discuss potential risks, and present a realistic pathway for long-term maintenance and local ownership beyond short research pilots.
widespread
diseases
caused
contaminated
water
mathematics-logic