The World’s Biggest Problems

An Effective Altruist‘s Guide to New Ideas

These are my rankings of the world’s top 20 problems and 100 potential solutions.

Three of my startups, Utopic, Labdoor, and Air to All, are based on these ideas.
I’m writing one post on each of these 120 ideas. This will be a book when it’s all done!

Mission: Solve The World’s Biggest Problems!

There are way too many important problems in the world for any one person to solve.
I’m sharing these ideas so we can get more people organized around all of these problems!

Are you working on one of these problems or solutions? I want to talk with you!

Tweet or DM me @neilthanedar and tell me what you’re building!
I’m writing this book in public to inspire more people to work on these problems together transparently.

Contents:

Introduction: The Good Future

Problem #1: Maximize Human Potential

Solution #1: Effective Altruism
- Book: The World’s Biggest Problems
Solution #2: Personal Capital
- Startup: Utopic Studio
Solution #3: Founder Accelerator
- Idea: Utopic Ventures
Solution #4: Ambitious Optimists
- Idea: Utopic Live
Solution #5: Effective Immigration

Problem #2: Democratize Abundance

Solution #6: Open Patents
Solution #7: YC for Manufacturing
Solution #8: Public Ventures
- Idea: 43North for Detroit
Solution #9: Arsenal of Progress
- Idea: Detroit vs. Shenzhen
Solution 10: Universal Food Security

Problem #3: Protect Individual Liberties

Solution #11: Cryptocountries
Solution #12: DAOs for Everything
Solution #13: Zero-Knowledge Services
Solution #14: The Rise of Pseudonyms
Solution #15: Distributed Internet

Problem #4: Counter Authoritarianism

Solution #16: Pax Internet
Solution #17: Satyagraha Club
Solution #18: Unbundle The Police
Solution #19: Civil Justice Reforms
Solution #20: Open Metaverse

Problem #5: End Poverty

Solution #21: Rise of Human Jobs
Solution #22: Social Investments
Solution #23: Federal Job Guarantees
Solution #24: International Peace Corps
Solution #25: Peak (and Decline) Population

Problem #6: Optimize Science For Good

Solution #26: Commodify Detoxification
Solution #27: OpenAI for Biology
Solution #28: DNA Composer
Solution #29: Commodify Lab Testing
Solution #30: Petrochemical Alternatives

Problem #7: Scale Clean Energy Cheaply

Solution #31: Commodify Decarbonization
Solution #32: Normalize Nuclear Energy
Solution #33: Decentralized Utilities
Solution #34: Modern HVAC
Solution #35: Moore’s Law for Everything

Problem #8: Scale Quality Education Cheaply

Solution #36: Universal Preschool
Solution #37: Personalized Learning
Solution #38: Microschool Platform
Solution #39: Full-Stack Schools
Solution #40: ISAs for Everyone
- Idea: UMICH 2050

Problem #9: Scale Quality Healthcare Cheaply

Solution #41: Universal Healthcare
Solution #42: Nonprofit Therapeutics
- Startup: Air to All
Solution #43: Decentralized Clinical Trials
Solution #44: Personalized Medicine
Solution #45: Consumer Diagnostics

Problem #10: Optimize Government for Good

Solution #46: Redistribute Spending
Solution #47: New Bill of Rights
Solution #48: Open Public Contracts
Solution #49: Independent Auditors
Solution #50: Digital Dollars

Problem #11: Scale Quality Information Cheaply

Solution #51: OpenAI for Data
Solution #52: Open Access Movement
Solution #53: Decentralized Hosting
Solution #54: Long-Term News
Solution #55: Build A Third Brain

Problem #12: Prevent Suicides

Solution #56: Hyperthymic Antidepressants
Solution #57: Secure Firearms
Solution #58: Trusted Therapy Network
Solution #59: AA for Everything
Solution #60: AI as Companion

Problem #13: Defend Air and Water

Solution #61: Defend Antarctic Ice Sheet
Solution #62: Protect Amazon Rainforest
Solution #63: Defend Great Lakes
Solution #64: Commodify Desalination
Solution #65: Filtering Faucet

Problem #14: Regulate Supply Chain

Solution #66: Decentralized FDA
Solution #67: Independent Testing
- Startup: Labdoor
Solution #68: Crypto Certifications
- Idea: TEST
Solution #69: Ban Carcinogens
Solution #70: Ban Endocrine Disruptors

Problem #15: Recruit Independents into Politics

Solution #71: Ranked Voting
Solution #72: Cryptographic Voting
Solution #73: YC for Politicians
Solution #74: Independents Movement
Solution #75: End Majority Rule

Problem #16: Promote Independent Businesses

Solution #76: Indie Startups
Solution #77: Fractionalize Everything
Solution #78: YC for Mittelstands
Solution #79: Open Crowdfunding
Solution #80: 0% Interest Business Loans

Problem #17: Value Impact > Labor > Capital

Solution #81: Real Real GDP
Solution #82: Open Banking Platform
Solution #83: Nonprofit Startups
Solution #84: YC for Nonprofits
Solution #85: Everyday Activism

Problem #18: Promote Peace

Solution #86: Universalism
Solution #87: Utopiaforming
Solution #88: Demilitarize Earth
Solution #89: Sanctuary Countries
Solution #90: Legalize Psychedelics

Problem #19: Study History

Solution #91: Record All Languages
Solution #92: Record Many Histories
Solution #93: Open World Library
Solution #94: Modern Ethnobiology
Solution #95: Recreate Ancient Foods

Problem #20: Explore the Universe

Solution #96: Commodify Space Travel
Solution #97: New ISS
Solution #98: New Hubble
Solution #99: Map Our Universe
Solution #100: ISS Enterprise

The most ambitious projects require optimistic builders working together. We need hundreds of these projects now. Let’s solve the World’s Biggest Problems!