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
Timepieces that run backward under measured social tension undermine scheduling and legal timekeeping. The problem is addressing psychological load without destabilising shared temporal reference.
maintaining
reliable
public
time
when
mathematics-logic
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving toxic leakage from discarded batteries. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient. The required intervention must integrate community knowledge, data and appropriate technology while remaining affordable, privacy-preserving and operable with minimal external support. Strong solutions will articulate measurable impact metrics, risk mitigation strategies, and a plan for sustained operation by local actors after the pilot phase.
approaches
toxic
leakage
discarded
batteries
social-civic-problems
Empty residences that pulse with the absent resident’s cardiac rhythm can create surveillance and emotional disturbance for neighbours. The challenge is preventing domestic systems from broadcasting biometric presence data into shared space.
managing
homes
emit
owner
heartbeat
science-space
The problem of growing mountains of electronic waste 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.
growing
mountains
electronic
waste
strengthening
other
Roads that rename themselves after the week’s dominant pedestrian create constant cartographic instability. The problem is allowing dynamic local identity without destroying navigational reliability.
identity
stabilising
street
when
names
health-biology
recycling rates remaining far too low 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.
recycling
rates
remaining
far
too
other
Metered creative capacity that expires each day can suppress spontaneous play and learning. The challenge is supporting healthy cognitive development without artificial scarcity of imagination.
imagination
protecting
children
daily
quota
local-regional
Addressing uncollected garbage piling up in streets 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.
uncollected
garbage
piling
streets
2030
mathematics-logic
Glazing that displays alternate-reality views of the same location fractures common spatial understanding. The problem is keeping enough consistent visual information for coordination and safety.
preserving
shared
external
reference
when
other
The problem of raw sewage discharged directly into waterways 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.
raw
sewage
discharged
directly
waterways
other
Autonomous carriers that filter items according to the sender’s politics create partisan logistics networks. The challenge is maintaining reliable, non-discriminatory goods movement independent of ideological scoring.
ensuring
neutral
delivery
when
personal
mathematics-logic
The problem of open defecation continuing to spread disease 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.
open
defecation
continuing
spread
disease
other
Surfaces that subtly incline walkers toward certain shops convert public right-of-way into directed marketing infrastructure. The problem is keeping pedestrian geometry neutral and safe rather than commercially steered.
toward
preventing
sidewalks
tilting
pedestrians
mathematics-logic
AI, automation, caregiving, health events, and climate disruptions may make stable employment less common. The challenge is designing benefits, credentials, insurance, and taxation systems that follow people across changing forms of work. 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.
economics-resources
social
protection
workers
discontinuous
careers
low-income
communities
work
automation
caregiving
technology-computing
climate-environment
society-governance
systems
infrastructure
quantum
science-space
The problem of millions of households still without toilets 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.
millions
households
without
toilets
creating
other
Skin markings that automatically broadcast affective state remove the ability to keep feelings private. The challenge is preventing involuntary emotional disclosure through ambient body signalling.
emotional
protecting
facial
privacy
when
other
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving absence of clean and affordable cookstoves. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient. The required intervention must integrate community knowledge, data and appropriate technology while remaining affordable, privacy-preserving and operable with minimal external support. Strong solutions will articulate measurable impact metrics, risk mitigation strategies, and a plan for sustained operation by local actors after the pilot phase.
affordable
absence
clean
cookstoves
scaling
social-civic-problems
Seating that begins charging once a sitter’s mind wanders turns rest and reflection into billable activities. The problem is keeping public rest surfaces free for unstructured thought.
public
preventing
benches
metering
daydreaming
other
The problem of household cooking with wood and charcoal causing lung disease 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.
household
cooking
wood
charcoal
causing
other
Shelving systems that conceal books until a reader meets algorithmic criteria restrict curiosity and self-directed learning. The challenge is supporting progressive discovery without gatekeeping physical or digital collections.
ensuring
free
access
knowledge
when
technology-computing
