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 5217740 Details
Epoch: 242 Number of transactions in block: 9 slot_no: 19249515 epoch_slot_no: 68715 block_no: 5217563 slot_leader_id: 4638501 size: 7193 time: 2021-01-16 16:50:06 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \x032831653065fb6b83bca1e6dc787f64af01fcbbd3bc1289532067d916dada08Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk12e3vt3n9xrea75gq9m8qlely2aj48x3e6wrhenc22fnq3fnyz63sa5w7q7 op_cert: \xd09502b9d044e8aa31e4ee8a9f94dee7355e169c3a1f7317ee1aade75e9e4012 op_cert_counter: 2