A Cardano block is a collection of transactions that are grouped together and verified as a unit. It's similar to a page in a ledger. Each block contains a hash, which is a unique cryptographic code that identifies the block and its contents. Once a block is created, it's added to the blockchain, which is a public, distributed database. This process is known as block production. The creation of new blocks is carried out by staking pools, which are groups of individuals who contribute their ADA to secure the network. Blocks play a crucial role in the Cardano network by recording transactions, ensuring security, and providing a historical record.
Block 4973718 Details
Epoch: 230 Number of transactions in block: 1 slot_no: 14277163 epoch_slot_no: 280363 block_no: 4973541 slot_leader_id: 4490695 size: 628 time: 2020-11-20 03:37:34 proto_major: 2 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xa31627b3d9f5c6311cfc1eb52bc5d85749254f2b22436be4fcc4a6bc0e5c7066Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk14y9pjprzlsjvjt66mv5u7w7292sxp3kn4ewhss45ayjga5vurgaqhqknuu op_cert: \x768e62a9ef7e2c33c8602b253f4733b1ddf09331247fc184cc92f11c91a77e01 op_cert_counter: 0