Science and space: the biggest open questions
Open questions across math, computing and space biology differ: some lack a proof, some lack agreement on what counts as an answer, and some lack tested systems.
Covers: This page surveys major unresolved questions across scientific disciplines and space exploration, including their current status and why they remain open. It does not attempt to answer each question definitively or cover every subfield in depth.
3 free full reads left this month. Join or upgrade
The short answer
Interpretation AI-prepared starting mapAcross mathematics, computer science and space biotechnology, the questions that remain open are not only unanswered but often lack agreement on what a solution would even look like. In mathematics, the Riemann Hypothesis concerns the nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function and remains unsolved; a 2026 study reports a correspondence between those zeros and dynamical quantum phase transitions in engineered quantum many-body systems, demonstrated in a proof-of-principle experiment on a quantum processor, and proposes a quantum computational framework using polynomial resources. In computer science, a problem counts as unsolved when no solution is known or when experts disagree about proposed solutions. In space exploration, a 2026 review frames the open work as engineering crops and microorganisms for microgravity, radiation, limited resources and constrained lighting, and as unresolved ethical, technical, regulatory and biosafety questions for long-duration missions.123
- Evidence 10
- Interpretation 8
In brief
The Riemann Hypothesis remains unsolved, but a 2026 study reports a correspondence between its nontrivial zeros and dynamical quantum phase transitions, demonstrated in a proof-of-principle experiment on a quantum processor, with a proposed polynomial-resource quantum framework for probing it.1
Evidence-backedIn computer science, a problem counts as unsolved either when no solution is known or when experts disagree about proposed solutions, so some major questions are blocked by lack of consensus rather than lack of answers.3
Evidence-backedFor space exploration, a 2026 review frames the open work as engineering crops and microorganisms for microgravity, radiation, limited resources and constrained lighting, and as unresolved ethical, technical, regulatory and biosafety challenges for long-duration missions.2
Evidence-backed
At a glance
What this page stands on
Live · updated just now
The evidence behind it
3 sources- Other studies and data2
- Background1
Published in 2026
| Source | Kind | Year |
|---|---|---|
| The Riemann Hypothesis manifested in dynamical quantum phase transitions. | Other studies and data | 2026 |
| Exploring the role of CRISPR in advancing space biotechnology: challenges and solutions for human survival beyond earth. | Other studies and data | 2026 |
| List of unsolved problems in computer science (Wikipedia) | Background | Unknown |
The community around it
- Contributions
- 0
- People
- 0
- Following
- 0
Nobody has added anything yet. Experience, evidence or a different view would show up here.
What it means for you
Which fits you?
Pick the situation closest to yours. Each answer says what it rests on.
If you want to know whether the Riemann Hypothesis has been proven
it has not; what the 2026 work reports is a correspondence between its zeros and dynamical quantum phase transitions, demonstrated in a proof-of-principle experiment, plus a proposed quantum computational framework, not a proof.1
Evidence-backedIf you are looking for a definition of an unsolved problem in computer science
a problem is considered unsolved when no solution is known or when experts in the field disagree about proposed solutions.3
Evidence-backedIf you are interested in how humans could survive long-duration space missions
the open work centers on CRISPR-engineered crops for microgravity, radiation, limited resources and constrained lighting, and on engineered microorganisms for air purification, water recycling and waste biodegradation in closed-loop life-support systems.2
Evidence-backedIf you are evaluating whether space biotechnology is ready for missions
the relevant review is a synthesis of potential applications, knowledge gaps and ethical, technical, regulatory and biosafety challenges, so treat proposed capabilities as directions under investigation rather than demonstrated mission systems.2
InterpretationThe full story · 3 chapters
01
Mathematics and computation: questions that resist both proof and agreement
AI summary:The Riemann Hypothesis stays unproven, while a 2026 study links its zeros to quantum phase transitions; computer science counts a problem unsolved when no solution is known or experts disagree.
Evidence-backed: The Riemann Hypothesis is described as one of the most profound unsolved problems in mathematics, concerning the nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function. A 2026 study reports a direct correspondence between these zeros and dynamical quantum phase transitions in two complementary engineered quantum many-body systems, characterized by the average accumulated phase factor and the Loschmidt amplitude. The authors recast the hypothesis as the occurrence of phase transitions at a unique temperature and identify it as a previously unknown transition mechanism, demonstrating the correspondence in a proof-of-principle experiment on a quantum processor. They further propose a quantum computational framework that implements both systems with polynomial resources, suggesting a possible quantum advantage in probing the hypothesis.1
Evidence-backed: In computer science, the boundary of what counts as open is itself part of the problem: a problem is considered unsolved when no solution is known or when experts in the field disagree about proposed solutions. That second clause matters, because it means some of the field's biggest questions are not waiting on a missing proof but on a missing consensus about what would count as an answer.3
Interpretation: Read together, these two strands suggest a useful distinction for the page: some open questions are open because the answer is unknown, and others are open because the community has not settled on what an answer would look like. The Riemann Hypothesis sits closer to the first kind, while the computer science definition explicitly names the second.13
02
Space exploration: keeping humans alive beyond Earth
AI summary:A 2026 review frames the open work as engineering crops and microbes for space conditions, plus unresolved ethical, technical, regulatory and biosafety questions.
Evidence-backed: A 2026 review examines CRISPR's role in space biotechnology and identifies the central open problems as engineering crops that can thrive under space conditions, including microgravity, elevated radiation, limited resources and constrained lighting, through improved photosynthetic efficiency, nutrient utilization and stress tolerance. It also explores CRISPR-engineered microorganisms intended to support closed-loop life-support systems by improving air purification, water recycling and waste biodegradation.2
Evidence-backed: The review integrates astronaut health, space agriculture and microbial engineering within a unified framework, and critically evaluates associated ethical, technical, regulatory and biosafety challenges. It identifies current knowledge gaps and future research priorities intended to support responsible development of CRISPR-based technologies for long-duration space missions, and frames the overall potential as transformative for sustainable human exploration and long-term habitation beyond Earth.2
Interpretation: What makes this a genuine open question rather than a solved engineering problem is the combination of unknowns: the biological performance of edited organisms under space conditions, the governance questions around editing organisms for missions, and the fact that the review is a synthesis of proposed directions and challenges rather than a record of demonstrated long-duration mission results.2
03
What makes a question open
AI summary:Questions stay open for different reasons: a missing proof, expert disagreement, or layered technical and governance obstacles.
Interpretation: The sources point to at least three different reasons a question stays open. In mathematics, the obstacle is that no proof exists for a conjecture about the nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function, even as new physical and computational approaches are proposed to probe it. In computer science, the obstacle can be disagreement among experts about proposed solutions rather than a simple absence of answers. In space biotechnology, the obstacles are layered: technical performance under microgravity and radiation, resource and lighting constraints, and ethical, regulatory and biosafety questions that must be resolved alongside the science.132
Interpretation: A practical consequence is that progress on an open question can look different depending on which kind it is. For a conjecture, progress may mean a new experimental platform or a new correspondence that makes the problem more tractable. For a contested problem, progress may mean narrowing the disagreement. For a mission-enabling technology, progress may mean moving from proposed applications to tested systems.132
Reporting up to this Sylo
From its subtopics
Each subtopic is its own Sylo with its own sources and contributors. Their current findings are shown here as reports, not counted as extra evidence for this page.
Ask this Sylo
Still wondering about something?
Answers come only from this page's reviewed material, with citations, and say plainly when the page doesn't cover it yet.
Behind this page
Who's adding to it, where it comes from, how it changed and what would make it better. Always open to everyone.
Discussion
Sources
Numbers match the citations in the article. A working link isn't proof that a page supports a claim; check the quoted passage and date.
- 1The Riemann Hypothesis manifested in dynamical quantum phase transitions.Nature communications (Wei et al.)Published Jul 1, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026
“The Riemann Hypothesis (RH), one of the most profound unsolved problems in mathematics, concerns the nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function. Linking these zeros to physical phenomena offers new perspectives on their origin and verification. Here we establish a direct correspondence between these zeros and dynamical quantum phase transitions in two complementary engineered quantum many-body systems, characterized by the average accumulated phase factor and the Loschmidt amplitude, respectively. This precise correspondence recasts the RH as the occurrence of phase transitions at a unique temperature and identifies it as a previously unknown transition mechanism. We demonstrate this correspondence in a proof-of-principle experiment on a quantum processor. Moreover, we propose a quantum computational framework that implements both systems with polynomial resources, suggesting quantum advantage in probing the hypothesis. Our work bridges nonequilibrium quantum dynamics and number theory, positioning quantum computing as a powerful platform for exploring mathematical conjectures, phase transitions and beyond.”
- 2Exploring the role of CRISPR in advancing space biotechnology: challenges and solutions for human survival beyond earth.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology (Ahmad)Published Aug 26, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026
“It also discusses the potential of CRISPR to engineer crops capable of thriving under space conditions, including microgravity, elevated radiation, limited resources, and constrained lighting, through improved photosynthetic efficiency, nutrient utilization, and stress tolerance. Furthermore, the review explores the use of CRISPR-engineered microorganisms to support closed-loop life-support systems by improving air purification, water recycling, and waste biodegradation. Unlike previous reviews that primarily address individual aspects of CRISPR or space biotechnology, this review integrates advances in astronaut health, space agriculture, and microbial engineering within a unified framework while critically evaluating the associated ethical, technical, regulatory, and biosafety challenges. It also identifies current knowledge gaps and future research priorities to facilitate the responsible development and implementation of CRISPR-based technologies for long-duration space missions. Collectively, these insights highlight the transformative potential of CRISPR to support sustainable human exploration and long-term habitation beyond Earth.”
- 3List of unsolved problems in computer science (Wikipedia)WikipediaPublished Sep 29, 2026Checked Oct 4, 2026
“This article is a list of notable unsolved problems in computer science. A problem in computer science is considered unsolved when no solution is known or when experts in the field disagree about proposed solutions.”
How it changed
Published 1 time since Oct 4, 2026.
- Version 2Oct 4, 2026Live now
AI-prepared Starting Map from live research.
- First published version.
Help improve it
The brief is open about what's uncertain. These are the specific gaps that new material would fill.
“Space exploration: keeping humans alive beyond Earth” rests on one independent source
A second, independent source that confirms or challenges it would make this part more reliable.
“What makes a question open” has no evidence or firsthand experience yet
It's a synthesis for now. Evidence or experience would show whether it holds.
Open questions
Which major open questions in physics, astronomy, biology, medicine and Earth science should this page cover, given that the current sources address only mathematics, computer science and space biotechnology?
No answers yet
Does the reported correspondence between Riemann zeta zeros and dynamical quantum phase transitions actually advance verification of the Riemann Hypothesis, or is it a new perspective that leaves the conjecture as open as before?
No answers yet
How far have CRISPR-engineered crops and microorganisms actually been tested under real space conditions, as opposed to proposed and reviewed on paper?
No answers yet
Which specific computer science problems are currently considered unsolved, and where do experts disagree about proposed solutions?
No answers yet
How should ethical, regulatory and biosafety questions around editing organisms for space missions be resolved, and by whom?
No answers yet
Around this topic
Sylos connect: narrower topics report up to broader ones, so what's learned in one place shows up where it matters.