Book excerpt: An indispensable guide to buffers and to understanding the principles behind their use. Helps the user to avoid common errors in preparing buffers and their solutions. A must for researchers in the biological sciences, this valuable book takes the time to explain something often taken for granted - buffers used in experiments. It answers the common questions such as: which buffer should I choose? What about the temperature effects? What about ionic strength? Why is the buffer with the biggest temperature variation used in PCR? It provides even the most experienced researchers with the means to understand the fundamental principles behind their preparation and use - an indispensable guide essential for everyone using buffers.