Browse by field

The Human Tech Tree has 928 points in 18 fields: what humans have discovered, what is being researched now, which problems are still unsolved and what becomes possible once they are solved. State: October 2026.

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Civilization

• Foundations of Civilization
  47 points · 4 unsolved
  Open: Replication Crisis, Research Funding & Pace, Quality Education for All
• Society, Economy & Law
  57 points · 5 unsolved
  Open: Global Coordination, Work & Distribution with AI, Disinformation & Trust
• Humanities & Culture
  41 points · 6 unsolved
  Open: Deciphering Linear A, Deciphering the Indus Script, Saving Endangered Languages

Formal Sciences & Matter

• Mathematics
  63 points · 7 unsolved
  Open: P versus NP, Riemann Hypothesis, Navier-Stokes Problem
• Physics
  67 points · 6 unsolved
  Open: Quantum Gravity, Dark Matter, Dark Energy & Hubble Tension
• Chemistry & Materials
  44 points · 4 unsolved
  Open: Room-Temperature Superconductor, Artificial Photosynthesis, Truly Circular Plastic Recycling

Energy & Industry

• Energy
  50 points · 5 unsolved
  Open: Net-Electricity Fusion Plant, Seasonal Energy Storage, Cheap Green Hydrogen
• Manufacturing & Construction
  45 points · 4 unsolved
  Open: CO2-Free Cement, Molecular Nanomanufacturing, True Circular Economy
• Transport & Mobility
  50 points · 4 unsolved
  Open: Level 5 Autonomous Driving, Zero-Emission Aviation, Zero-Emission Shipping

Information

• Electronics & Computing
  52 points · 3 unsolved
  Open: Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computer, The Computing Energy Wall, Computing Beyond Silicon
• AI & Robotics
  39 points · 4 unsolved
  Open: Artificial General Intelligence, AI Alignment & Interpretability, Reliable, Honest AI
• Communication & Networks
  38 points · 3 unsolved
  Open: Quantum Internet, Robust Cybersecurity, Digital Identity & Trust

Life

• Biology & Genetics
  66 points · 5 unsolved
  Open: Simulating a whole cell, Predicting traits from DNA, Origin of life
• Medicine
  72 points · 9 unsolved
  Open: Curing cancer, Controlling aging, Antibiotic resistance
• Neuroscience & Psychology
  51 points · 7 unsolved
  Open: Consciousness, Causes of mental illness, How memories are stored
• Agriculture & Food
  40 points · 4 unsolved
  Open: Nitrogen-fixing cereals, C4 rice / better photosynthesis, Feeding 10 billion people

Earth & Cosmos

• Earth, Climate & Environment
  55 points · 8 unsolved
  Open: Gigatonne-scale CO2 removal, Predicting tipping points, Climate sensitivity range
• Space & Astronomy
  51 points · 6 unsolved
  Open: Finding extraterrestrial life, Humans on Mars, Radiation and life support