A Matter of Gravity
In an article in the May 9, 2000 edition of the Seattle Times, there was an article with the above title. In that article, the point is made that even basic gravity a "Fundamental force of nature stumps scientists." The quest for quantum gravity.
This type of admission is not an anomalous fact of science but is in fact very common. In reality, science has many unanswered questions where the apparent answers based on the laws of physics as generally understood conflict with science proven fact. There are many questions about gravity arising from recent laboratory experiments.
The fact that science doesn't even understand gravity is not really a new finding and such admissions of the limits of science should, in fact, be made in many areas of science.
Gravity can be very interesting as is not as simple as one might think. There are even experiments individuals can run in their basements. At the other extreme, scientists have questions about the role of gravity in the big bang.
On the other hand, scientists cannot explain the origin/source of the mass of particles which gravity acts on, which some have arrogantly named the "God" particle (yes arrogant scientists), (a particle which they can't even show exists.)
If you think scientist don't go beyond hard data, how about the following link about "Cosmic Strings"; when there isn't any actual laboratory evidence of any type of simple string particle as postulated by string theory (which is a reasonable theory, however, and seems consistent with what is known of physics, but which is even in theory not testable in the laboratory.) Mystery rays could be sign of cosmic strings. Interesting hypothesis.
Some physicists believe string theory may unify the forces of nature. (Note; a "theory of everything" is not a full explanation of everything, if it is possible it would only explain interactions and not where the theory comes from or how everything got started or how the initial conditions of the universe "happened" to be so precisely balanced for life.)