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 8503617 Details
Epoch: 398 Number of transactions in block: 13 slot_no: 86969244 epoch_slot_no: 396444 block_no: 8503440 slot_leader_id: 5495683 size: 11871 time: 2023-03-11 11:52:15 proto_major: 8 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xf2c169ae87e649ffd9348d880ea2a82858aaa83c69d5a2c8b01ee52b2129c8a7Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk16rypntlhatkcnyrr2w99jmasvnzh9p7utsc6hjc2ezwavqquw79stjmj5a op_cert: \x9217dae5723eacfef632abdbe2db4cc1b0a3b4e01f13b675da099f6b8cc343b7 op_cert_counter: 8