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 5242634 Details
Epoch: 243 Number of transactions in block: 1 slot_no: 19749744 epoch_slot_no: 136944 block_no: 5242457 slot_leader_id: 4577284 size: 383 time: 2021-01-22 11:47:15 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \x3aafb7906bd324c9327fd38a0aa07a4107441db4f1930a8b9d2ad609f39fd962Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1fry5jp72cm57asmqp5hv9rsk2twlnxfx5mlqmc2thlp22f4ma2zs4gz2f4 op_cert: \xcf3ebc4c4dd3c8612b4cbf4a139e3d567ce80c1a1ad98b6ef30fcbc4658a2404 op_cert_counter: 29