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
Millions of people now earn a living through app-based gig work without the healthcare, sick leave, or retirement benefits traditional jobs offer. Extending fair protections to this growing workforce remains largely unresolved.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
gig
benefits
haven
found
way
protect
workers
same
full-time
employees
whether
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
In many countries, the cost of a degree has risen far faster than wages, leaving graduates with debt that can take decades to repay. Making education both accessible and affordable remains an unresolved trade-off.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
education
affordable
debt
make
higher
burying
students
countries
cost
degree
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
mathematics-logic
climate-environment
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Companies often move production to wherever labor is cheapest, making it hard for any single country to guarantee fair wages without losing jobs to competitors elsewhere. A coordinated approach across countries remains unresolved.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
guarantee
workers
living
wage
industries
built
competition
companies
often
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
resolved
determine
mathematics-logic
society-governance
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
New industries, especially in tech, often end up dominated by one or two giant companies before regulation catches up. This can shut out competition and innovation before it even has a chance to grow.
society-governance
global-unspecified
industries
don
have
reliable
way
prevent
monopolies
forming
fast-growing
new
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Fewer working-age people are supporting more retirees in many countries, straining pension systems built for a different population balance. Without reform, current retirement systems risk running out of money for future retirees.
society-governance
global-unspecified
retirement
haven
found
sustainable
way
fund
populations
age
worldwide
retirees
systems
whether
philosophy-ethics
technology-computing
resolved
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Wages in many cities haven't kept pace with housing costs, pushing homeownership and even renting out of reach for a growing share of workers. This is now a shared crisis across cities on almost every continent.
social-civic-problems
global-unspecified
cities
haven
housing
solved
make
affordable
major
worldwide
wages
kept
climate-environment
urban
whether
african
philosophy-ethics
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As automation and AI displace routine and increasingly cognitive labor, most economies still assume most people need traditional jobs to survive and find purpose. Without a credible alternative, mass automation risks instability rather than shared benefit.
economics-resources
global-unspecified
jobs
don
have
economic
model
ready
world
machines
automation
displace
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
International courts and diplomacy exist, but nations still frequently settle disputes through force when other methods fail or are ignored. A stronger, more trusted system for resolving conflicts peacefully remains unbuilt.
society-governance
global-unspecified
system
disputes
nations
don
have
fairly
resolves
between
resorting
war
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
agreed
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Independent journalism is being restricted or shut down in many parts of the world, cutting off citizens from reliable information about their own governments. Protecting press freedom remains an unresolved struggle in much of the world.
society-governance
global-unspecified
press
governments
information
ensure
free
survives
countries
control
world
independent
whether
philosophy-ethics
haven
resolved
mathematics-logic
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
As more countries and private companies plan to mine the Moon and asteroids, there's still no clear, agreed system for who owns what. Without this, space could repeat the same resource conflicts we've had on Earth.
science-space
global-unspecified
space
don
have
working
model
governing
outer
its
resources
countries
whether
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
way
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Large multinational companies can shift profits between countries to minimize taxes, leaving many nations without a fair share of revenue from businesses operating within their borders. A truly fair global tax system remains unresolved.
society-governance
global-unspecified
fair
tax
companies
haven
found
way
operate
everywhere
nowhere
philosophy-ethics
whether
resolved
determine
mathematics-logic
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Personal and corporate data crosses borders constantly, but laws about who owns it and how it can be used vary wildly by country. This patchwork makes real data protection difficult to enforce globally.
society-governance
global-unspecified
data
owns
don
have
consistent
international
rules
controls
personal
corporate
technology-computing
whether
philosophy-ethics
systems
resolved
determine
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Rising demand keeps pushing housing costs higher in growing cities, pricing out the very workers those cities depend on. Making urban growth compatible with affordability remains an unresolved policy challenge nearly everywhere.
society-governance
global-unspecified
cities
haven
solved
make
affordable
live
grow
rising
demand
keeps
climate-environment
whether
urban
philosophy-ethics
african
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many large-scale policies are implemented based on assumptions rather than solid evidence, and by the time results come in, the damage or waste is already done. Better testing methods could save enormous public resources.
society-governance
global-unspecified
policies
don
have
reliable
way
measure
whether
government
actually
work
philosophy-ethics
determine
resolved
agreed
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
AI systems built in one country are used worldwide, but there's no shared international rulebook governing how they should behave. Without cooperation, regulation ends up fragmented and easy to bypass.
society-governance
global-unspecified
agree
regulate
countries
different
laws
values
systems
built
country
worldwide
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
haven
determine
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Refugees often end up concentrated in a handful of neighboring countries while the rest of the world debates policy from a distance. A fairer, shared system could ease pressure on frontline nations and improve outcomes for displaced people.
society-governance
global-unspecified
system
refugees
don
have
fair
handling
asylum
seekers
often
philosophy-ethics
whether
determine
resolved
agreed
way
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Doubts about election security, counting errors, and manipulation persist in democracies around the world. Restoring full public trust in voting systems is essential for democracy to function as intended.
society-governance
global-unspecified
voting
trust
don
have
system
citizens
fully
fair
accurate
doubts
whether
philosophy-ethics
resolved
determine
public
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Chronic stress physically changes the brain and body over time, and we don't yet have treatments that fully reverse that damage. Understanding this could transform how we treat burnout, trauma, and related illness.
mathematics-logic
global-unspecified
yet
reverse
damage
stress
biological
caused
long-term
chronic
physically
changes
whether
philosophy-ethics
health-biology
resolved
determine
don
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Millions of people with chronic pain are stuck choosing between inadequate relief or medications that carry serious addiction risk. A safer, equally effective alternative remains one of medicine's most requested breakthroughs.
health-biology
global-unspecified
chronic
pain
addiction
haven
solved
well
enough
treat
risking
millions
philosophy-ethics
whether
way
determine
resolved
mathematics-logic
open
Global / Unspecified, Global
Many fast-growing cities in arid regions are outpacing the water systems built to serve them, leading to shortages and rationing. Solving this needs both new infrastructure and smarter long-term water planning.
sdg-sustainable-development-goals
global-unspecified
water
infrastructure
serve
cities
regions
don
have
enough
clean
growing
climate-environment
urban
whether
philosophy-ethics
society-governance
systems
