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 5596653 Details
Epoch: 260 Number of transactions in block: 6 slot_no: 26972912 epoch_slot_no: 16112 block_no: 5596476 slot_leader_id: 4672334 size: 7702 time: 2021-04-16 02:13:23 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \x55398a5947bcae45a2dfd063079f05629e5ee48bc93e85c8b74a2e93d09aaac3Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1enj3ua439h228ks3lrdh4rrdfag60m4amfh86edwz54u9vsq0rcsdgd940 op_cert: \xa7968c4a53db15e1758a1fc18ac6f29c3e6a5aa51228357354379e7725cd1544 op_cert_counter: 1