At the center of our understanding of the physical world lies a paradox . The last century has left us two precious stones : general relativity , which are grown on cosmology , astrophysics , the study of gravitational waves , black holes ... as well as quantum mechanics , atomic physics based , nuclear , elementary particle , the matter of intensifying and many others . Two basic theory and technology duarplote today . However , because contradict each other , theories can not both be right , at least in their current form . A student who attends university lectures in the morning general relativity and quantum mechanics afternoon , there remains only to fall to the conclusion that professors or cucumbers , or have a century s'flasin between them : they are teaching two views the world quite contrary to each other . Morning world stood like a curved space , where everything is going, and afternoon stood like a flat space in which energy quanta jump . The paradox lies in that both theories work terribly well . Nature is treating us just like that old rabbi , who had gone to two men to categorical a row . After the first hearing , the rabbi says " you're right " . The second insists that even listen to it , the rabbi listens and says " you're right too" . Then the rabbi's wife , who was awake from the kitchen , crying : " if you can not have both right ." Rabbinic thought , shakes his head and gives Dum : " You have the right " . A group of physicists distributed on five continents are trying diligently to resolve the issue . Field of study called " quantum gravity " . The objective is : to find a theory , ie a set of equations , but especially a harmonious view of the world , where to find a solution schizophrenia .