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 5218249 Details
Epoch: 242 Number of transactions in block: 3 slot_no: 19259752 epoch_slot_no: 78952 block_no: 5218072 slot_leader_id: 4569197 size: 6221 time: 2021-01-16 19:40:43 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xb16332737848c3aa3c13f9f2f671aa51bee67598b9d268bb6dc528e3111a8092Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1fu2vy36f5je5nz9qex83agkxqcs29kfwdty63hdm0vgwdzm2hvpqea7zl7 op_cert: \xea4149563f23f9a7345cba4e098061686d811d7d67402acb748f1783d8c6e909 op_cert_counter: 3