World Solve

Seating that morphs to deter anyone except previous users reduces spontaneous social contact and excludes newcomers. The problem is designing street furniture that remains welcoming while still managing wear and anti-social behaviour.

Many countries will need to support more older people with fewer workers and uncertain productivity gains. The challenge is redesigning pensions, care, migration, housing, and employment without increasing generational conflict. 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.

continued high burden of malaria 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.

The problem of medicines priced beyond the reach of the poor 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.

When the first person to capture an image of a cloud asserts property rights, the atmosphere itself becomes a contested resource. The problem is keeping the sky as a shared commons while still recognising legitimate creative or scientific claims on specific observations.

The problem of critical shortage of doctors in rural areas 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.

Addressing hospitals located too far from rural populations 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.

If pets can be induced to shift attachment based on economic offers, the human-animal bond becomes a marketable asset. The problem is protecting enduring relationships from commercial override while still allowing rehoming under genuine welfare conditions.

Addressing harm caused by excessive consumption of sugary drinks 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.

Pavements that adjust temperature beneath each walker can create comfort for some and exclusion or health risk for others. The challenge is ensuring that personalised thermal control does not become a new form of public-space discrimination.

Addressing poor families unable to buy nutritious food 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.

Biological data repositories growing in public or private trees raise questions of ownership, access, and longevity. The problem is ensuring that information rooted in living organisms remains under the control of the original subject and does not become harvestable by third parties.

Future missions beyond low Earth orbit will expose crews to radiation, isolation, altered gravity, communication delays, and limited emergency care. The open problem is developing autonomous health systems that remain safe under unknown conditions. 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.

The problem of steadily rising food prices 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.

When dreams are scored, shared, and sold like social content, intimate mental experiences become competitive and commercial. The problem is protecting the private, non-instrumental nature of dreaming while still permitting voluntary creative or therapeutic uses.

If drinking water carries detectable flavour differences linked to the political stance of the provider, basic hydration becomes a partisan signal. The challenge is maintaining truly neutral, safe water access independent of ideological branding or corporate affiliation.

Addressing floods that destroy homes and livelihoods 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.

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.

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.

Shadows may become information-rich surfaces that can be scanned or recorded without the person’s knowledge. The problem is establishing ownership and consent rules for the data carried by one’s own silhouette while still allowing beneficial environmental sensing.