I was surprised when I heard Tristan Buckmaster, an expert on fluid dynamics, say that we still don't understand basic things from first principles like how airplanes generate lift.
https://youtu.be/PQYFRuZ5phs?si=wy8-ksarC1pVgQuT&t=5235
I suspect we're always going to be in this state because every breakthrough raises new fundamental questions.