Bayes offers a 'new' way to make sense of numbers
Malakoff, D.; Bayes, T.
Science 286(5444): 1460-1464
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-8075 PMID: 10610542 Document Number: 507069
Bayesian statistics are enjoying a renaissance in a number of scientific fields. Developed in the 18th century by Presbyterian minister Thomas Bayes, the 236-year old approach to statistics allows researchers to use everything from hunches to hard data to compute the probability that a hypothesis is correct. Advances in computers and the limitations of traditional statistical methods have contributed to the newfound popularity of the method. What is more, researchers say the Bayesian approach is popular because it allows them to incorporate expertise and prior knowledge into their calculations, and advocates say it produces answers that are easier to comprehend and forces users to be explicit about biases obscured by the current frequentist approaches. Applications of Bayesian statistics include testing new drugs and setting catch limits for fish.