create account

How Microsoft Excel Changed The Names Of Genes by kralizec

View this thread on: hive.blogpeakd.comecency.com
· @kralizec ·
$5.77
How Microsoft Excel Changed The Names Of Genes
<i>Even scientists sometimes have IT problems. But this one actually made them change the names of genes.</i>

<center>![problem1951987_1920.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kralizec/50PsSsVc-problem-1951987_1920.jpg)

</center>

Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/aitoff-388338/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1951987" class="keychainify-checked steem-keychain-checked">Andrew Martin</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1951987" class="keychainify-checked steem-keychain-checked">Pixabay</a>

* Be also sure to check out my other posts and follow me @kralizec and subscribe to my Youtube channel at [Kralizec Gaming Youtube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM6bVobsVUBzJ-oqajqI-eA)

<h3></h3>

The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) came up with a new directive that regulates the naming of genes. But, the reasons why changes need to be done may surprise you. It is being done because scientists had a problem writing down some of the names of the genes into Microsoft Excel.

<h3></h3>

Just in the past year, 27 human genes were renamed for this reason. Microsoft’s Excel interchanged them with dates and converted them. For example, the gene called Membrane Associated Righ-CH-Type Finger 1 or MARCH1 was converted into 1-Mar.

And this definitely wasn't the only case as several genes have shortcuts that look like months of the year. In a study back in 2016 researchers analyzed what is the rate at which these errors occur. They analyzed more than 3,500 research papers and found out that more than one-fifth of all of them had a problem when writing down genes in Microsoft Excel.

<h3></h3>

Since Microsoft’s Excel doesn’t allow users to switch off automatic formatting the only way to fix the errors was to manually change the type of data in the individual columns. But, if the file was opened by someone else on another computer the formatting would switch back to the wrong one.

Right now, you might be asking yourself – wouldn’t it be easier if Microsoft changed Excel? Well, Elspeth Bruford from HGNC thinks the problem is so specific Microsoft just won’t care.

<h4>Sources:</h4>
* https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-016-1044-7
* https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/6/21355674/human-genes-rename-microsoft-excel-misreading-dates

---

* If you like the content I’m producing about science maybe you will like the content I produce about gaming as well! Be sure to check out my other posts!
👍  , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 15 others
👎  
properties (23)
authorkralizec
permlinkhow-microsoft-excel-changed-the-names-of-genes
categoryhive-196387
json_metadata{"app":"peakd/2020.08.3","format":"markdown","tags":["science","stem","news","blog","hive"],"users":["kralizec"],"links":["https://pixabay.com/users/aitoff-388338/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1951987","https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=image&amp;utm_content=1951987","/@kralizec","https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM6bVobsVUBzJ-oqajqI-eA","https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-016-1044-7","https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/6/21355674/human-genes-rename-microsoft-excel-misreading-dates"],"image":["https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/kralizec/50PsSsVc-problem-1951987_1920.jpg"]}
created2020-08-17 06:00:06
last_update2020-08-17 06:00:06
depth0
children3
last_payout2020-08-24 06:00:06
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value3.072 HBD
curator_payout_value2.700 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length2,622
author_reputation228,510,658,450,281
root_title"How Microsoft Excel Changed The Names Of Genes"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id99,113,909
net_rshares15,626,043,846,558
author_curate_reward""
vote details (80)
@gitplait ·
Upvoted by GITPLAIT!

We have a curation trial on Hive.vote. you can earn a passive income by delegating to [@gitplait](https://hive.vote/dash.php?i=15&id=1&user=gitplait)
We share 80 % of the curation rewards with the delegators.
___

_To delegate, use the links or adjust_ [10HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=10%20HP), [20HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=20%20HP), [50HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=50%20HP), [100HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=100%20HP),   [200HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=200%20HP), [500HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=500%20HP), [1,000HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=1000%20HP), [10,000HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=10000%20HP), [100,000HIVE](https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=100000%20HP)

___

Join the [Community](https://hive.blog/trending/hive-103590) and chat with us on [Discord](https://discord.gg/CWCj3rw)  let’s solve problems & build together.
properties (22)
authorgitplait
permlinkqf81jp
categoryhive-196387
json_metadata{"links":["https://hive.vote/dash.php?i=15&id=1&user=gitplait","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=10%20HP","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=20%20HP","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=50%20HP","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=100%20HP","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=200%20HP","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=500%20HP","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=1000%20HP","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=10000%20HP","https://hivesigner.com/sign/delegateVestingShares?delegator=&delegatee=gitplait&vesting_shares=100000%20HP","https://hive.blog/trending/hive-103590","https://discord.gg/CWCj3rw"],"app":"hiveblog/0.1"}
created2020-08-17 18:48:00
last_update2020-08-17 18:48:00
depth1
children0
last_payout2020-08-24 18:48:00
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.000 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length1,493
author_reputation911,220,543,569
root_title"How Microsoft Excel Changed The Names Of Genes"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id99,124,438
net_rshares0
@jacobtothe ·
$0.05
I wonder whether the same issue pops up in other spreadsheet programs like LibreOffice? I am not on my computer right now, so I can't test it.
👍  
properties (23)
authorjacobtothe
permlinkre-kralizec-qf77ds
categoryhive-196387
json_metadata{"tags":["hive-196387"],"app":"peakd/2020.08.3"}
created2020-08-17 07:56:21
last_update2020-08-17 07:56:21
depth1
children1
last_payout2020-08-24 07:56:21
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.022 HBD
curator_payout_value0.023 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length142
author_reputation566,903,957,379,763
root_title"How Microsoft Excel Changed The Names Of Genes"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id99,115,013
net_rshares193,788,118,425
author_curate_reward""
vote details (1)
@kralizec ·
$0.03
I do not know. Though, since they specifically mentioned the fact that you cannot change the setting in Microsoft Excel there is a good chance you can change these settings in other programs.

If you like my science content consider following my gaming stuff as well and perhaps even subscribe to the [Kralizec Gaming Youtube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM6bVobsVUBzJ-oqajqI-eA)
👍  
properties (23)
authorkralizec
permlinkre-jacobtothe-qf7po3
categoryhive-196387
json_metadata{"tags":["hive-196387"],"app":"peakd/2020.08.3"}
created2020-08-17 14:31:15
last_update2020-08-17 14:31:15
depth2
children0
last_payout2020-08-24 14:31:15
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.013 HBD
curator_payout_value0.013 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length392
author_reputation228,510,658,450,281
root_title"How Microsoft Excel Changed The Names Of Genes"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id99,120,354
net_rshares116,384,252,143
author_curate_reward""
vote details (1)