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 8140517 Details
Epoch: 381 Number of transactions in block: 3 slot_no: 79490110 epoch_slot_no: 261310 block_no: 8140340 slot_leader_id: 7581727 size: 2136 time: 2022-12-14 22:20:01 proto_major: 8 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xdcb3899295600486162bd78c1b0f08cd936b4886037c4a67480d7fc5d4df09afBlock Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk18stcjdcu588hsmyhcpjq98vqwmw9ry3gamvyldv6rdwv75gfxflq82dh27 op_cert: \xa931f46279fd9b15af4a350c37e4fc7d0bb99c77e2e5290f13330cf29567a773 op_cert_counter: 1