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 5680249 Details
Epoch: 263 Number of transactions in block: 21 slot_no: 28682262 epoch_slot_no: 429462 block_no: 5680072 slot_leader_id: 4561122 size: 7994 time: 2021-05-05 21:02:33 proto_major: 4 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xdea1688b0ec4b5f3920c5fd2726082d4f6d953fce6909a032372737b9f3777e8Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk16v34trhgsmwpp8st57htgt952f8wv6duy0w0nlcrksfkmzhljprshp0q6d op_cert: \x4399333bcca9ebfb215f93f0d84522c6c39c80dc6b8807db486d952732187c92 op_cert_counter: 3