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 8638949 Details
Epoch: 405 Number of transactions in block: 12 slot_no: 89762322 epoch_slot_no: 165522 block_no: 8638772 slot_leader_id: 6447896 size: 17382 time: 2023-04-12 19:43:33 proto_major: 8 proto_minor: 0 hash: \x3497adf1cbd369f4f3aeaf04984ba61db8b88159a9d699075dc21085c3c0dd16Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1euldmrw0f7n70dyglx8l00cf9j39f8v4uztk9m2kgxs4ce3uy20qkvxtp9 op_cert: \x1b28024dc8eaaf696aa6b3f293c4109bb2e9bfbf4947976294f6f1bb5ac62cd4 op_cert_counter: 9