Mathematics
The Bootstrap Method: Resampling Data to Estimate Uncertainty
Quick fact
The bootstrap method, introduced by Bradley Efron in 1979, allows you to estimate the standard error of any statistic—even complex ones like the median—by resampling your original data with replacement. It has become a cornerstone of modern statistics because it works when traditional formulas are too complicated or don't exist.
Why this is interesting
Ever wonder how statisticians measure uncertainty from just one sample? The bootstrap achieves the seemingly impossible: creating thousands of new datasets from the data you already have.