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 5240985 Details
Epoch: 243 Number of transactions in block: 5 slot_no: 19717041 epoch_slot_no: 104241 block_no: 5240808 slot_leader_id: 4869078 size: 2078 time: 2021-01-22 02:42:12 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \x2412029fea413c737a9847c54bcc4a6498b9f9ef74e7ab70bb5fcf66514d8dc1Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1wtrryjjkch77gg8lpueyy3lqltdehrt3d56kgvtvtsculnexcvks44hjm9 op_cert: \xf62b85b42ea77495f3458319127dafe15eb01fdbfb08f992ecc5aeac4c7765b9 op_cert_counter: 2