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
Addressing natural gas leaks contributing to climate change 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.
capacity
natural
gas
leaks
contributing
climate-environment
Individualised audio environments inside shared lifts can isolate passengers and prevent common situational awareness. The problem is balancing personal comfort with the need for collective auditory cues in confined public spaces.
shared
preserving
elevator
experience
when
science-space
oil spills continuing to devastate marine life 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.
oil
spills
continuing
devastate
marine
other
Precipitation whose nutrient profile varies by corporate cloud ownership creates uneven agricultural and health outcomes. The challenge is ensuring that atmospheric water remains compositionally neutral regardless of commercial claims.
cloud
equalising
nutritional
content
rain
technology-computing
Addressing continued heavy reliance on coal for electricity 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.
continued
heavy
reliance
coal
electricity
mathematics-logic
Renting out one’s internal navigation ability can leave the owner disoriented afterward. The problem is allowing voluntary cognitive resource sharing without lasting impairment of basic spatial competence.
protecting
personal
sense
direction
temporary
local-regional
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving wind energy capacity remaining far too low. 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.
remaining
wind
energy
capacity
far
social-civic-problems
Access rules that demand deposition of a memory before entry turn recreation into an emotional transaction. The challenge is preserving green-space availability without compulsory self-disclosure.
entry
memory
designing
park
does
science-space
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving solar power not yet deployed at necessary scale. 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.
solar
power
deployed
necessary
scale
climate-environment
Spoken dialogue that produces persistent aerial annotations can create distraction, privacy leaks, and unequal access to context. The problem is managing real-time annotation layers so they remain optional and controllable by speakers.
controlling
automatic
floating
footnotes
generated
health-biology
Addressing clean energy still too expensive for many 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.
capacity
clean
energy
too
expensive
mathematics-logic
Silhouettes that lengthen or shorten according to predicted lifespan turn private health data into ambient visual information. The challenge is protecting individuals from involuntary longevity signalling in everyday environments.
signalling
preventing
shadows
publicly
remaining
climate-environment
Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving fragile power lines destroyed by storms. 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.
fragile
power
lines
destroyed
storms
social-civic-problems
Homes that generate extra space solely during guest presence create sudden capacity and then abrupt disappearance. The problem is ensuring structural safety, privacy, and continuity when architecture itself is conditional on occupancy.
managing
temporary
rooms
appear
only
science-space
Automation could eliminate jobs in some regions while creating new opportunities elsewhere, reversing long-standing urbanization patterns. Cities need adaptable housing, education, transport, and fiscal systems for population movement that is difficult to forecast. 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.
social-civic-problems
europe
italy
urban-planning
automation
urban
planning
reverse
migration
low-income
communities
eliminate
jobs
some
technology-computing
economics-resources
climate-environment
society-governance
The problem of frequent and prolonged electricity blackouts 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.
electricity
frequent
prolonged
blackouts
developing
other
Garments that expand or shrink according to measured self-assurance can reinforce insecurity and create practical discomfort. The challenge is allowing adaptive fit without linking physical dimensions to emotional state scores.
fit
stabilising
clothing
when
size
other
Addressing ports unable to handle modern shipping volumes 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.
ports
unable
handle
modern
shipping
mathematics-logic
Dispensers that release water only after correct answers create barriers for children, visitors, and people with cognitive differences. The problem is providing free hydration without knowledge tests as gatekeepers.
water
answers
ensuring
access
when
other
The problem of insufficient airport capacity in many regions 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.
insufficient
airport
capacity
many
regions
other
