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
Brazil, South America
Achieving real-time acoustic-optical networks tracking insect biomass decline at meaningful scale demands simultaneous progress in fundamental research, engineering integration and socio-technical systems that work for low- and middle-income settings. Existing efforts remain fragmented relative to the magnitude of the challenge.
economics-resources
south-america
brazil
real-time
acoustic-optical
networks
tracking
insect
biomass
decline
deployable
technologies
achieving
systems
climate-environment
society-governance
methods
real
Despite recognition of its importance, reliable methods for AI systems that support rather than displace human judgment in clinical and legal settings are still lacking. Progress is hindered by incomplete mechanistic knowledge, high capital and operational barriers, and the absence of deployment models suited to the contexts of greatest need.
climate-environment
europe
poland
systems
support
rather
displace
human
judgment
clinical
legal
settings
deployable
society-governance
methods
economics-resources
technology-computing
designs
Informal settlements in Yemen largely rely on pit latrines with no formal desludging service, leading to overflow into waterways and elevated diarrheal disease rates among children.
health-biology
asia
yemen
informal
settlements
extending
fecal
sludge
management
largely
rely
pit
society-governance
economics-resources
systems
public
climate-environment
open
South Africa, Africa
Women remain significantly underrepresented in STEM higher education and careers in South Africa, a gap that begins with unequal encouragement and resources at the secondary school level.
social-civic-problems
africa
south-africa
women
stem
south
increasing
representation
fields
remain
significantly
underrepresented
global-unspecified
health-biology
society-governance
Achieving technologies for safe and efficient long-distance transport of hydrogen and ammonia at meaningful scale demands simultaneous progress in fundamental research, engineering integration and socio-technical systems that work for low- and middle-income settings. Existing efforts remain fragmented relative to the magnitude of the challenge.
economics-resources
europe
sweden
technologies
safe
efficient
long-distance
transport
hydrogen
ammonia
development
achieving
meaningful
climate-environment
systems
society-governance
solutions
enabling
Rapid urban growth in Indonesia has produced large informal settlements lacking basic infrastructure, and in-place upgrading approaches remain rare compared to displacement-driven redevelopment models.
society-governance
asia
indonesia
upgrading
informal
settlements
displacing
residents
rapid
urban
growth
has
economics-resources
systems
without
digital
Achieving circular design rules and tracking systems for high-value consumer electronics at meaningful scale demands simultaneous progress in fundamental research, engineering integration and socio-technical systems that work for low- and middle-income settings. Existing efforts remain fragmented relative to the magnitude of the challenge.
economics-resources
africa
senegal
systems
circular
design
rules
tracking
high-value
consumer
electronics
systemic
solutions
society-governance
climate-environment
technology-computing
ensuring
methods
Low-income households in Kenya have almost no financial protection against climate-driven income shocks, and existing microinsurance products remain too costly or poorly understood to achieve meaningful uptake.
climate-environment
africa
kenya
products
against
shocks
low-income
households
designing
insurance
climate
have
economics-resources
income
community
global-unspecified
scale
Achieving systems ensuring the long-term stewardship and accessibility of scientific knowledge and data at meaningful scale demands simultaneous progress in fundamental research, engineering integration and socio-technical systems that work for low- and middle-income settings. Existing efforts remain fragmented relative to the magnitude of the challenge.
local-regional
africa
dr-congo
systems
ensuring
long-term
stewardship
accessibility
scientific
knowledge
data
development
achieving
society-governance
economics-resources
climate-environment
technology-computing
designs
Achieving pathways for transitioning fossil-fuel dependent regions to diversified economies at meaningful scale demands simultaneous progress in fundamental research, engineering integration and socio-technical systems that work for low- and middle-income settings. Existing efforts remain fragmented relative to the magnitude of the challenge.
economics-resources
asia
china
pathways
transitioning
fossil-fuel
dependent
regions
diversified
economies
scalable
solutions
achieving
climate-environment
systems
society-governance
methods
designs
Design systems that remain usable for people with limited literacy, disability, low connectivity, language barriers, or insecure documentation. The challenge is especially acute in remote island communities, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
social-civic-problems
asia
indonesia
remote
island
communities
inclusive
access
digital
public
services
connectivity
design
economics-resources
society-governance
systems
Create conservation and restoration approaches that protect biodiversity while sustaining the people whose food, income, and culture depend on those ecosystems. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
economics-resources
africa
nigeria
biodiversity
ecosystems
informal
settlements
protection
supporting
local
livelihoods
create
conservation
restoration
communities
society-governance
public
social-civic-problems
Develop practical data collection, modeling, public deliberation, and evaluation tools for decisions currently made with incomplete or inaccessible evidence. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
society-governance
africa
nigeria
evidence
decisions
informal
settlements
local
difficult
policy
develop
practical
data
economics-resources
communities
public
worker
Create safe, economically viable collection, sorting, repair, reuse, and material-recovery systems suited to decentralized local markets. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
economics-resources
africa
nigeria
local
informal
settlements
circular
recovery
overlooked
waste
streams
create
safe
society-governance
communities
might
actors
public
Develop enforceable, worker-centered protections for safety, pay, benefits, bargaining, and grievance resolution outside conventional employment. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
economics-resources
africa
nigeria
informal
settlements
worker
protection
fragmented
economies
develop
enforceable
worker-centered
protections
communities
society-governance
public
social-civic-problems
remote
Build affordable monitoring and response systems that identify local environmental threats before they become chronic public-health crises. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
health-biology
africa
nigeria
mental-health
environmental
informal
settlements
early
detection
health
hazards
build
affordable
monitoring
economics-resources
society-governance
communities
public
Create accountable methods for prioritizing limited water, housing, health, energy, and social-protection resources without reinforcing local inequality. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
social-civic-problems
africa
nigeria
resources
informal
settlements
transparent
allocation
scarce
public
create
accountable
methods
economics-resources
society-governance
communities
worker
protection
Develop local skills, spare-parts access, inspection methods, and financing so public infrastructure continues functioning after installation. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
economics-resources
africa
nigeria
public
informal
settlements
safe
maintenance
essential
assets
develop
local
skills
society-governance
communities
social-civic-problems
worker
Create transparent financial mechanisms that help households and local institutions prepare for recurrent shocks before emergency aid is needed. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
economics-resources
africa
nigeria
informal
settlements
community-scale
climate-risk
financing
institutions
create
transparent
financial
mechanisms
society-governance
communities
public
social-civic-problems
local
Develop offline-capable, multilingual, trusted systems for issuing alerts, gathering local conditions, and coordinating response when normal communications fail. The challenge is especially acute in informal settlements, where existing solutions often assume stable institutions, high incomes, continuous connectivity, or centralized service delivery.
society-governance
africa
nigeria
informal
settlements
reliable
last-mile
emergency
communication
develop
offline-capable
multilingual
trusted
economics-resources
communities
public
local
worker