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 5216996 Details
Epoch: 242 Number of transactions in block: 18 slot_no: 19234466 epoch_slot_no: 53666 block_no: 5216819 slot_leader_id: 4490688 size: 22452 time: 2021-01-16 12:39:17 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xc3f4bcce21e6c1d6308bc846b1d02c38e5551bbdf38c153877e8460dd2321631Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1dkfsejw3h2k7tnguwrauqfwnxa7wj3nkp3yw2yw3400c4nlkluwqzwvka6 op_cert: \x5b96cb12f1875acf26beed323781d6d8d9982cdcae7af0924886d62bbed84af1 op_cert_counter: 1