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 9698974 Details
Epoch: 455 Number of transactions in block: 45 slot_no: 111528702 epoch_slot_no: 331902 block_no: 9698797 slot_leader_id: 4768924 size: 82375 time: 2023-12-20 17:56:33 proto_major: 8 proto_minor: 0 hash: \xa78c57f6ce2143532287aaf06980a5825d6d3ab5049d43a20d669fc3831b2213Block Operator
vrf_key: vrf_vk1qn8s87qr08428hgpclq333a8hk8mpp3gtcfj7nte3ujpdz7psduqdxm48w op_cert: \x92d3b42d30e8b80f29fec4beaa79935a8d72108b861466359d453576389cfe5c op_cert_counter: 19