Blockwhat? Blockchain!

Photo by Anthony Indraus

Hello there lovely you, awesome that you’re here. Chances are very high that you’re here because you happen to be interested in this whole blockchain thingy.

Maybe you’re still at the beginning of your journey into the fascinating and sometimes cryptic lands of blockchain and want to get a thorough and understandable introduction into what’s up with the all this fuss about blockchain.

Or you might already have a sound understanding but are hungry for more information, in order to satisfy your inner curiosity and to gain a more nuanced knowledge.

Whatever the case, this blog will not disappoint you. We will explore everything here starting from the history of blockchain (which goes back all the way to the 80s!), to discovering the technological foundations which make this magic thing work (super interesting, I promise), all the way to diving into actual use cases of this mesmerizing new technology.

Oh, and I’ll provide you with reviews of some of the best resources that helped me to gain a thorough and sound understanding of this sometimes very confusing topic.

Let’s get rolling and dive right into the mesmerizing world of blockchain. It’ll be a captivating journey. Are you ready?

Blockchain History

Photo by Giammarco Boscaro

Let me take you an a captivating ride into the depths of the history that led the advent of Bitcoin and eventually Ethereum, the two most recognizable blockchains (there are many more to explore though!). It’s a fascinating journey and definitely worth your time!

1. 3000 BC | Hiking Up Mount Blockchain
2. ’82 | The Birth Of Digital Cash
3. ’96 | Oncologist + Gold = Revolution?
4. ’97 | Anybody interested in some hash(cash)?
5. ’98 | Wei Dai — Who dat?
6. ’98 | Make It Rain (Bit) Gold!
7. ’03 | It’s Karma
8. ’04 | Use me baby, one more time
9. ’08 | Bit what? Bitcoin! — Hello world.
10. ’13 | Ethereum — The World Computer

Technological Foundations

Photo by Thomas Kvistholt

Want to understand the technological fabric behind blockchains that makes it work? These articles will provide you with a sound and solid introduction into the tech that powers this new paradigm-shifting revolution.

1. The Tech Behind Blockchains
2. A Journey Into Decentralization
3. Hash(ing) Everywhere — A Primer On Hash Functions
4. Public Key Encryption — A Comprehensive Guide
5. Merkle Trees — Ensuring Integrity On Blockchains
6. Finding Consensus 1/4: Byzantine Fault Tolerance
7. Finding Consensus 2/4: Proof of Work
8. Finding Consensus 3/4: Proof of Stake
9. Finding Consensus 4/4: Alternative Consensus Mechanisms
10. Network — Who’s Doing All This Stuff?

More articles are in planning

Reviews / Resources

Photo by Nikita Kachanovsky

If you’re enticed by what you’ve discovered so far and want to further your understanding of this fascinating new paradigm, check out these awesome resources that helped me a great deal to fathom what’s going on with blockchain and its massive potential to change the way we do things.

1. Digital Gold by Nathaniel Popper (Book)
2. The Truth Machine by Michael J Casey and Paul Vigna (Book)
3. Blockchain Revolution by Don and Alex Tapscott (Book)
4. Blockchain Innovation by Frederick Munawa (Podcast)
5. Mastering Bitcoin by Andreas Antonopoulos (Book)
6. Blockchain and the Law by Primavera De Filippi & Aaron Wright (Book)
7. Mastering Ethereum by Andreas Antonopoulos and Gavin Wood
8. Homo Sapiens by Noah Yuval Harari
9. Homo Deus by Noah Yuval Harari
10. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Noah Yuval Harari

More reviews will come.

Use Cases

Photo by Ross Findon

Feel like exploring the potential changes laying ahead of us? Then indulge yourself into these fascinating use cases that are powered by blockchain.

1. Blockchain and Identity
2. Blockchain and the Internet of Things
3. Blockchain and Gaming
4. Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence
5. Blockchain and Finance
6. Blockchain and Music
7. Blockchain and Law
8. Blockchain and Humanitarian Aid

More articles are in planning!