Random walk

A random walk is a mathematical description of a path taken by something that moves in random steps, like a drunk person stumbling down a street or a molecule bouncing around in a gas. At each moment, the object moves in a direction chosen completely by chance, with no memory of where it came from or where it's going, making it impossible to predict exactly where it will end up. Despite this randomness, scientists can still use random walk theory to understand patterns in nature, from how animals hunt for food to how prices fluctuate in financial markets.