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Gravitational force is extremely important because it dominates the formation and evolution of the universe. However, its physical origin and intrinsic nature have not been clearly understood for a long time. Certain observed phenomena, along with those newly discovered by the Hubble and James Webb telescopes, cannot be well explained by existing theories. Furthermore, general relativity and quantum mechanics, which are the current mainstream theories explaining the gravitational force, are incompatible with each other. This situation strongly points to the need for a better or even novel theory of the gravitational force. Here, based on the classical space-time perspective, a different yet solid understanding of the gravitational force is introduced. The author has realized that the gravitational force originates from none other than the electric force, but it is a synthetic electric force produced by a large number of electric charges, and thus shows very different characteristics from simple electric force. Generally speaking, in any objects, there are a large number of free and inducible net electric charges. Due to various reasons, including unavoidable fluctuations of microscopic or subatomic particles, non-uniform charge distribution in the object is normal. The Earth, the Moon, and the Sun are all typical examples of such. The non-uniform charge distribution within an object will almost certainly turn that object into an electric dipole or a generalized electric dipole. Thus, almost any object can be regarded as an electric dipole because of self-forming. Furthermore, through dynamically self-calibrating, the interacting electric force produced between two objects will quickly change to an attractive force, and such force can be maintained constantly when two objects rotate to each other. In other words, although the electric force direction of an electric dipole is anisotropic, because the direction of the electric dipole, which is determined by non-uniform charge distribution, can change dynamically and quickly, an electric dipole can always maintain attraction to another electric dipole moving around it, similar to an object exhibiting isotropic attraction to its surrounding object. The dynamically self-calibrating process can also cause multiple electric dipoles, or even multiple groups of electric dipoles, to mutually and continuously attract each other, since every dipole or dipole group has a non-uniform charge distribution too, albeit on different scales. This is the true origin of the gravitational force. Calculation has shown that, under certain conditions, the change rate of the strength of the gravitational force derived from the dipole model closely follows the law of inverse square of the distance. This understanding can explain confusing phenomena effectively, such as flat galaxies, filamentary nebulae, the formations of the Solar System and Milky Way galaxy, unusual trajectories of ‘Oumuamua and 3I/ATLAS, and dark matter and dark energy. This understanding also naturally unifies the gravitational and electromagnetic forces and opens a key door for the final unification of the four fundamental forces of nature.