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
Missions passing from the inner solar system to the deep outer cold face severe thermal swings that degrade instruments. Variable emissivity smart materials and active thermal fluid loops are needed.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
thermal
active
interplanetary
spacecraft
lack
lightweight
control
systems
extreme
environments
science-space
long
storage
whether
materials
designs
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty is ambiguous regarding commercial resource extraction and private property. Clear, enforceable international frameworks are needed to encourage private investment in off-world mining.
science-space
global-unspecified
private
mining
property
there
standardized
legal
framework
asteroid
rights
orbital
society-governance
governance
whether
philosophy-ethics
technology-computing
public
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Most legacy satellites lack standardized refueling ports or mechanical docking interfaces, forcing them to burn out unnecessarily. Universal commercial servicing ports and robotic grapple protocols must be adopted globally.
science-space
global-unspecified
servicing
refueling
in-orbit
standards
different
satellite
manufacturers
not
exist
ports
climate-environment
systems
small
cubesats
lack
propulsion
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Standard lithium-ion batteries lose efficiency and fail at sub-zero temperatures without dedicated thermal heaters. Development of solid-state or low-temperature tolerant electrolyte batteries is essential for planetary night survival.
science-space
global-unspecified
batteries
temperatures
lack
low-mass
high-capacity
suitable
extreme
cold
deep
space
climate-environment
haven
electric
recycling
solved
vehicle
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Primary mirrors for space telescopes cannot exceed launch vehicle dimensions without complex, failure-prone mechanical folding. Dynamic fluidic mirrors and membrane optics created in orbit offer a promising alternative.
science-space
global-unspecified
space
deploying
large
optical
apertures
limited
rocket
payload
size
weight
philosophy-ethics
whether
earth
determine
agreed
lack
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Miniaturized satellites often burn out early because standard thrusters are too large or heavy for 1U-6U form factors. Micro-electrospray and green propellant systems must be scaled up for commercial CubeSat fleets.
science-space
global-unspecified
systems
small
cubesats
lack
propulsion
capable
major
orbital
plane
changes
society-governance
climate-environment
technology-computing
economics-resources
early
real
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Without gravity, liquid fuels float randomly inside tanks, causing air bubbles to enter fuel pumps during orbital refilling. Scalable fluid-settling systems and bladderless zero-g fuel transfer ports must be built.
science-space
global-unspecified
transfer
in-orbit
propellant
between
moving
spacecraft
microgravity
unstable
fuel
gravity
haven
whether
climate-environment
make
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Capturing dead satellites or space debris requires catching uncontrolled objects without causing collision fragments. Advanced computer vision, robotic capture arms, and net-based soft capture systems are required.
science-space
global-unspecified
space
objects
autonomous
docking
between
non-cooperative
tumbling
remains
high
risk
systems
society-governance
designs
governance
whether
philosophy-ethics
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Commercial point-to-point rocket or scramjet transit is limited to ocean routes due to severe atmospheric shockwaves. Low-boom aerodynamic shaping and active acoustic damping technologies must be developed.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
sub-orbital
hypersonic
passenger
vehicles
cause
extreme
noise
pollution
sonic
booms
preventing
automated
economics-resources
urban
major
ocean
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
While optical communication offers high bandwidth, cloud cover blocks laser signals from deep space probes to Earth ground stations. Dynamically routed global ground-station networks and satellite relays are needed.
science-space
global-unspecified
optical
laser
ground
stations
cloud
cover
severely
degraded
atmospheric
weather
technology-computing
space
satellite
whether
earth
radio
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Solar sails require ultra-thin, kilometer-wide polymer films that cannot be safely deployed without tangling or tearing. Zero-g robotic vapor deposition or automated truss deployment frames must be engineered.
climate-environment
global-unspecified
cannot
solar
sails
efficiently
manufacture
mega-scale
lightweight
orbit
require
ultra-thin
whether
africa
infrastructure
waste
mathematics-logic
battery
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Objects originating from outside our solar system pass through at extreme hyperbolic velocities with minimal discovery lead-time. High-delta-v interceptor platforms on standby in deep space orbits are required for defense.
science-space
global-unspecified
defense
objects
lack
operational
planetary
mechanism
deflect
large
fast-moving
interstellar
climate-environment
space
high
autonomous
docking
Over 80% of workers in countries like India, Bangladesh, and Nepal operate within informal economies without access to pensions, disability insurance, or minimum wage guarantees. Traditional bureaucratic tax and welfare systems fail to track or protect these transient and cash-reliant populations during economic shocks.
economics-resources
asia
india
informal
workers
haven
found
effective
mechanism
extend
formal
social
safety
global-unspecified
systems
african
technology-computing
settlements
Up to 40% of fresh produce in nations like Vietnam, Myanmar, and Indonesia spoils before reaching urban markets due to lack of refrigerated transport, decentralized storage, and unreliable off-grid power, exacerbating regional food insecurity.
local-regional
asia
indonesia
haven
created
scalable
cold-chain
networks
capable
preventing
post-harvest
crop
losses
african
urban
rural
climate-environment
economics-resources
In major agricultural and industrial manufacturing regions across East and South Asia, overuse of antibiotics in livestock and unmonitored factory discharge have accelerated the proliferation of drug-resistant pathogens, threatening global healthcare systems.
health-biology
asia
india
agricultural
haven
halted
rapid
surge
antimicrobial
resistance
driven
unregulated
pharmaceutical
global-unspecified
systems
climate-environment
whether
philosophy-ethics
Deep social stigma, severe shortages of qualified psychiatric professionals, and centralized medical infrastructure leave hundreds of millions of rural residents without access to mental health diagnosis or intervention.
health-biology
asia
indonesia
mental-health
mental
rural
haven
established
adequate
healthcare
frameworks
tailored
low-resource
asian
access
health
remains
global-unspecified
Seasonal crop burning, industrial emissions, and vehicle exhaust generate high concentrations of PM2.5 across the Indo-Gangetic Plain, shaving years off average life expectancy without unified cross-border environmental governance.
climate-environment
asia
nepal
air-pollution
haven
effectively
mitigated
life-shortening
particulate
air
pollution
major
south
asian
global-unspecified
quality
urban
african
High pupil-to-teacher ratios in low-income schools often result in 'learning poverty,' where children complete primary school without basic functional literacy. Current retraining programs for rural educators struggle to scale effectively.
social-civic-problems
asia
cambodia
literacy
primary
haven
successfully
modernised
foundational
numeracy
pedagogy
over-crowded
classrooms
global-unspecified
children
students
low
school
Despite rising educational attainment among young women, regional female workforce participation remains among the lowest globally due to unpaid care burdens, safety concerns, and entrenched patriarchal property rights.
social-civic-problems
asia
india
female
participation
haven
dismantled
socio-legal
barriers
restrict
labor
force
south
economics-resources
global-unspecified
remains
society-governance
care
Online abuse, non-consensual image sharing, and cyber-stalking targeting women and girls are surging across Southeast Asia, outpacing existing legal definitions and digital safety enforcement mechanisms.
technology-computing
asia
malaysia
digital
haven
eradicated
technology-facilitated
gender-based
violence
harassment
platforms
online
abuse
african
global-unspecified
society-governance
remains
social-civic-problems
