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
Astronomical observations demand extra unseen mass, but candidate particles from extensions of the Standard Model remain undetected. New detector designs, astrophysical surveys, and theoretical models are needed to pin down its nature.
science-space
global-unspecified
not
know
dark
matter
actually
astronomical
observations
demand
extra
unseen
fully
what
understand
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Mechanisms behind superconductivity in cuprates and iron-based materials remain contested. Combined experimental and theoretical work is needed to unlock room-temperature materials.
science-space
global-unspecified
superconductivity
not
fully
understand
high-temperature
materials
mechanisms
behind
cuprates
iron-based
mathematics-logic
reuse
might
local
actors
economics-resources
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Engineering constraints and ethical questions hinder development. Research into autonomous systems and governance frameworks could move concepts forward.
society-governance
global-unspecified
self-replicating
robotic
probes
galactic
exploration
remain
theoretical
engineering
constraints
ethical
systems
governance
solutions
economics-resources
ensuring
frameworks
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
General relativity governs massive scale gravity while quantum mechanics governs atomic scales, but they break down together at black hole singularities. Developing a unified Theory of Quantum Gravity is the holy grail of theoretical physics.
science-space
global-unspecified
quantum
mechanics
general
relativity
theories
remain
fundamentally
incompatible
governs
gravity
technology-computing
mathematics-logic
whether
philosophy-ethics
know
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Cosmic strings are theoretical linear defects in space-time that could explain early cosmic structure formation. Advanced gravitational lensing networks are required to detect their unique space-bending signatures.
science-space
global-unspecified
cosmic
strings
defects
have
direct
observational
images
primal
topological
theoretical
know
remain
explain
matter
dark
ray
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Sphere-packing problems are solved for a few specific dimensions, but the general pattern across all possible dimensions remains unknown. This affects fields ranging from error-correcting codes to theoretical physics.
science-space
global-unspecified
haven
determined
exact
boundary
densely
objects
packed
higher-dimensional
spaces
dimensions
whether
mathematics-logic
philosophy-ethics
possible
resolved
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
While the standard cube's maximum was determined through massive computation, generalized versions with more dimensions or larger sizes remain computationally and theoretically unresolved. This connects group theory with combinatorial optimization.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
dimensions
don
know
exact
largest
number
moves
required
solve
any
whether
haven
resolved
possible
every
philosophy-ethics
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Sorting algorithms have been optimized extensively, but proving a true absolute lower bound across all possible sorting methods remains an unresolved question in computational theory. This affects the fundamental efficiency limits of computing.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
limits
haven
resolved
whether
number
steps
needed
sort
any
list
philosophy-ethics
know
mathematics-logic
possible
every
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Physical laws impose some theoretical limits on computation speed and energy use, but the exact universal boundary, if one truly exists, remains unresolved. This connects computer science directly to fundamental physics.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
physical
computer
haven
proven
whether
there
maximum
limit
efficiently
any
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
know
possible
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
This is the famous Halting Problem, proven impossible to solve in full generality, yet many partial and practical questions around predicting program behavior remain actively studied. This shapes the theoretical limits of what computers can ever determine about themselves.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
program
whether
determine
don
know
possible
build
computer
always
any
haven
resolved
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Even our best physical models rely on approximations or idealized assumptions, and whether a truly complete and exact mathematical simulation is even theoretically possible remains unresolved. This touches on the deep relationship between mathematics and the physical world.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
any
physical
whether
possible
exact
mathematical
haven
resolved
fully
simulate
philosophy-ethics
know
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Some lower bounds on computational efficiency are proven for specific tasks, but a fully unified theory covering every possible algorithmic problem remains unresolved. This unresolved question shapes the outer limits of computer science.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
don
know
whether
there
maximum
theoretical
limit
efficiently
any
sorting
philosophy-ethics
resolved
haven
mathematics-logic
possible
every
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
Probability theory offers strong predictive tools for many games, but a fully complete and general model covering every conceivable game of chance remains theoretically unresolved. This touches both pure mathematics and the philosophy of randomness.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
possible
complete
model
every
game
chance
haven
proven
whether
construct
know
resolved
philosophy-ethics
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Scheduling problems appear throughout logistics and computing, and while efficient solutions exist for many specific cases, a fully general efficient method remains unresolved for the broader problem family. This unresolved question connects theoretical computer science with real-world efficiency.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
possible
efficient
fully
method
don
know
whether
guarantee
finding
best
philosophy-ethics
resolved
mathematics-logic
haven
every
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Information theory provides strong bounds on efficiency for many specific cases, but proving whether truly optimal encoding always exists for every possible scenario remains an unresolved theoretical question. This connects mathematics directly to modern data compression and communication.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
encoding
whether
every
possible
information
always
don
know
way
mathematically
philosophy-ethics
resolved
haven
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Statistical and mathematical tools can detect many kinds of patterns efficiently, but a fully general and guaranteed method covering every possible hidden pattern type remains an unresolved theoretical question. This connects pure mathematics with the practical challenges of modern data analysis.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
possible
fully
method
hidden
patterns
pure
mathematical
analysis
haven
proven
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
know
every
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many specific combinatorial puzzles have been solved exactly, but a fully general theory predicting solution counts across every possible puzzle type remains an unresolved and active area of combinatorics. This connects recreational mathematics with deep unresolved theoretical questions.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
possible
general
theory
predicting
combinatorial
puzzle
haven
proven
whether
construct
philosophy-ethics
resolved
know
every
mathematical
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
If moral status depends on capacities like reasoning or suffering rather than being human specifically, then sufficiently advanced machines or aliens could theoretically deserve equal consideration. This unresolved question has growing relevance as artificial intelligence advances.
technology-computing
global-unspecified
artificial-intelligence
moral
status
sufficiently
haven
resolved
whether
humans
have
any
special
philosophy-ethics
know
determine
mathematics-logic
possible
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Crop residue and animal waste could theoretically be converted into biogas or other clean energy sources, but the infrastructure needed remains too costly for many farms to adopt. Scaling this technology affordably remains an unresolved opportunity.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
waste
clean
energy
don
have
affordable
way
convert
agricultural
scale
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed