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 8212873 Details
Epoch: 385 Number of transactions in block: 3 slot_no: 80978748 epoch_slot_no: 21948 block_no: 8212696 slot_leader_id: 4974801 size: 18430 time: 2023-01-01 03:50:39 proto_major: 7 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xca881260b5a956773a73cf0670a31a2ddce9e03370d3226459bfd9af3779b22dBlock Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1fgsrj2aj8nhnwa7ur606nvr3nmyznd9c0j0y99g5rhahceurcvgqjtksw3 op_cert: \x31eda77f3920fb7e4272fc0d389531d5d8a77a1568ab96e7b804fc23176bf263 op_cert_counter: 11