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 5240863 Details
Epoch: 243 Number of transactions in block: 3 slot_no: 19714402 epoch_slot_no: 101602 block_no: 5240686 slot_leader_id: 4556049 size: 1360 time: 2021-01-22 01:58:13 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xc9d1d7bc3f8b3e019a6baa1d057a30f061c660103e5aee60e3e8c0dba8cfd609Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1md23rugrrnl66ja45503p6vdmzvwqlflc8yhva877gxtln9sekgsx2ehap op_cert: \x554d457f1e91e442ec31af02abd77d6c0a4947a35c1d932b1c87e5603ae427bb op_cert_counter: 2