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 5617574 Details
Epoch: 261 Number of transactions in block: 22 slot_no: 27400971 epoch_slot_no: 12171 block_no: 5617397 slot_leader_id: 4974801 size: 17666 time: 2021-04-21 01:07:42 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xad191d451a91e1b5ac18c6a5a9d3d7dfe309433622ab57fceb57eeeef75c0e75Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1fgsrj2aj8nhnwa7ur606nvr3nmyznd9c0j0y99g5rhahceurcvgqjtksw3 op_cert: \x95c9e44ea81aeb1479fa96585b442150db8babf907cfab6c1b53fc7e67918572 op_cert_counter: 3