Quote:The researchers in question, writing for the Australian Baker IDI, focused on papers related to genetics where Excel auto-formats data to the detriment of all. Since genes, and science in general use specific symbols and notations not generally found in day-to-day life, Excel has a hard time with the data. One example the researchers gave is how Excel changes gene names, like SEPT2 (Septin) to a date, September 2. This auto-conversion issue is rampant throughout scientific papers, that are often accompanied by data dumps in Excel.

However, Microsoft explained that Excel is designed to deal with the most common data formats, and that altering its settings will lead to better results in cases such as these. And the scientists agree. Speaking to the BBC, Ewan Birney, direction of the European Bioinformatics Institute, explained he doesn’t blame Excel or Microsoft, but his fellow scientists.

Problems such as these, explained Birney, have been known to the scientific community for more than a decade. The academic community seems to have highlighted this issue in Excel way back in 2004, but since then, errors in scientific papers have simply gone up “at a rate of 15% per year”.