Crowdsourced backend of the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential
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Excessive climatic heat
There are regions, including many in developing countries, where high ambient temperatures combined... -
Uncontrolled environmental impact of technology
The natural environment—air, water and soil—is not only essential for supporting life, but is...
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Uncontrolled river erosion
Soil erosion can have a number of harmful effects on watercourses and their use. It produces...
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Icebergs
Icebergs should be distinguished from polar pack ice, which is frozen sea water, and from ice...
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White coat hypertension
"White coat hypertension" is a well-documented phenomenon in which a patient's blood pressure can... -
Psychogenic fugue
Inability to recall one's past after unexpected travel from home or work.
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Ankylosis of joint
Ankylosis may be fibrous or osseous and affects numerous joints, including spinal vertebrae,... -
Ineffective utilization of public environment
Despite the necessity for aesthetic and functional design of public areas in order to communicate... -
Underprivileged religious minorities
Religious minorities may be persecuted or discriminated against by the religious majority group...
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Boredom
Modern industry, through progressive automation of tasks, has created numerous highly...
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Superweeds
Herbicide resistance, notably from genetically-engineered crops, can be conferred to wild plants...
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Red tides
Pfiesteria is a single-celled planktonic creature (neither a true animal or plant). Billions lie...
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Prisoners of conscience
Men and women may be imprisoned because of their political or religious beliefs or because of their... -
Nitrates as pollutants
Nitrates are used in chemical fertilizers. When applied to fields much of nitrates often filter...
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Sensory aphasia
A person is unable to perceive words in a conversation, although he or she can hear the sound of...
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Crack
"Crack" is the street name given to cocaine that has been processed from cocaine hydrochloride to a... -
Land degradation
"Land degradation" is a catchall term covering such problems as wind and water erosion, soil...
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Loss of decorum
With increasing age, there is a tendency for physical and mental functions to deteriorate. A less... -
Limited artistic expression
Artistic expressions not sacred when they are connected with unpopular views or when they touch on... -
Perinatal mortality
Perinatal mortality comprises neonatal deaths and still-births. It overlaps somewhat with foetal...
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Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla characteristics are shared by private armies, mercenaries, terrorists, militants,...
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Old Believers
It is a tenet of the Old Believer sect that televisions, telephones, computers and any other forms... -
Refugees by boat
Aliens arriving by boat may be political refugees in desperate straits and fleeing from war, or may... -
Chronic wasting disease
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is the deer equivalent of "mad cow disease". -
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT), also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome, is a rare... -
Otitis media
Otitis media (ear infection) is a disorder involving inflammation and/or infection of the...
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Destruction of wetland environments
Wetlands are under threat from drainage, reclamation projects and a deterioration in water...
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Fatty liver
Fatty liver is simply the build-up of fat in the liver. Fat in the liver usually does not cause... -
Hepatitis E virus
The origins of hepatitis E are often obscure, but water is one suspected source. This ties in with... -
Fainting
With fainting, the subject changes from a normal to an unconscious state within seconds....
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Cataract
Cataract is a disease of the crystalline lens with the clinical appearance of clouding and...
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Inappropriate infant feeding strategies
Substitution of breast feeding by the untimely introduction of other foodstuffs, usually of low...
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Dry eye syndrome
Dry eyes is the common name for corneal and conjunctival dryness due to deficient tear...
The Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential was initiated in 1972 following a collaboration between two international non-profits, the Union of International Associations (UIA) and Mankind 2000. It is the result of an ambitious effort to collect and present information on the problems humanity is confronted with, as well as the challenges such problems pose to societies' values, development strategies and concept formation.
The online version of the resource is currently undergoing significant transformation, and the publishing model is changing in exciting new ways. The main points are:
- Whilst the above NGOs remain equal copyright holders of the data, it is becoming possible for partners to re-publish any content on presentation sites under a Creative Commons licence (CC BY-SA)
- Content of the database is being made centrally editable at edit.ewphp.org — to allow content changes on this site to propagate to any and all presentation sites
Please feel free to get in touch if you want to know more about the project, the ongoing transformation, or if you aspire to join the volunteer team as a database editor, presentation site developer or any other skill you feel might benefit the project!
News
- March 2016: An initial version of an API that allows retrieval and licensed re-use of the data is ready at demo.ewphp.org. We are currently working with selected developers, and a first public implementation of the API is taking shape as well. News about launch of both will follow soon!
- June 2015: Read the paper and presentation "Loop Mining in the Encyclopedia of World Problems" prepared for the 17th International Futures Conference "Futures Studies Tackling Wicked Problems" in Turku, Finland, 11-12. June 2015 — www.futuresconference.fi/2015