World Solve

Volunteer-collected data can expand research at a scale professional scientists alone couldn't achieve, but ensuring its accuracy and consistency remains an unresolved challenge for researchers who want to use it.

Current wearables track surface-level signals like heart rate well, but measuring things like blood chemistry non-invasively remains far less reliable. Solving this could make preventive healthcare monitoring dramatically more accessible.

Almost all current reusable rocket technology is built for missions close to Earth, while deep space missions still rely on expensive, largely disposable hardware. Extending reusability further out could reshape space exploration economics.

Evidence suggests Mars once had liquid water, a key ingredient for life, but no mission has yet found conclusive proof of past or present microbes. Answering this remains one of planetary science's biggest open questions.

Precious samples brought back from the Moon or asteroids need to remain scientifically useful for generations of future researchers. Long-term sample preservation technology hasn't fully caught up with mission ambitions.

Thousands of dead satellites and fragments now circle the planet, and a single collision can create thousands more pieces of debris. Left unmanaged, this could eventually make some orbits too dangerous to use safely.

Online spaces can accelerate radicalization by connecting isolated individuals with extremist content and communities faster than in the past. Effective, rights-respecting ways to counter this remain unresolved.

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.

Satellite internet can reach remote areas traditional cables can't, but current pricing puts it out of reach for many of the people who need it most. Bringing the cost down could close a major digital divide.

These particles carry more energy than anything we can produce on Earth, and we still don't know exactly what cosmic event launches them our way. Identifying the source could reveal entirely new astrophysical processes.

Cosmic radiation gradually damages electronics, and there's no way to send a repair technician to fix something millions of miles away. More radiation-hardy systems are essential for missions lasting a decade or more.

The leading theory involves a massive collision with early Earth, but several details still don't perfectly match the evidence we've collected from lunar samples. A fuller explanation would clarify Earth's own early history too.

Living without normal gravity weakens astronauts' bones and muscles over time. Practical, affordable ways to simulate gravity in space stations remain mostly untested at scale.

Solar storms and radiation slowly degrade satellite electronics, shortening their working life and risking sudden failures. Better shielding could extend satellite lifespans and reduce costly replacements.

Detecting gravitational waves was a breakthrough, but modeling exactly what happens during these violent mergers pushes our computing power and physics equations to their limits.

Fast radio bursts flash briefly and then vanish, and we still don't fully understand what causes them. Some theories point to exotic stars, but no explanation is fully confirmed yet.

Every kilogram of fuel launched from Earth adds enormous cost to a mission. Producing fuel on-site from ice or soil could make deep space missions dramatically more affordable.

Low gravity and different light conditions slow plant growth and change nutrient uptake in ways we don't fully understand yet. Solving this is essential for any long-duration space mission that needs fresh food.

Reusable rockets have cut costs, but they still require significant repair and inspection after each landing. True rapid reusability, like an airplane, would make space travel dramatically cheaper.

Current spacesuits are bulky, tiring, and limit fine motor movement, making long spacewalks physically exhausting. A more agile suit would make space construction and repair work far more practical.