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 8550471 Details
Epoch: 401 Number of transactions in block: 26 slot_no: 87934911 epoch_slot_no: 66111 block_no: 8550294 slot_leader_id: 7046729 size: 87766 time: 2023-03-22 16:06:42 proto_major: 8 proto_minor: 0 hash: \x7e1c94c8a2e0f91f0ff8c88f8a7af9caa675a67e4a2df191ad934573503d14aaBlock Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1ffmgargyrpt76axwe2epzk8luerdcwv6tlg6mxs7a7908ypahkvqwf2t89 op_cert: \x19980d17ac60fbca6dc596cb9c583b91957785a470b3ff033eaf06a0bff5d8f6 op_cert_counter: 1660589469