Welcome to the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency research guide! This guide will help you get started with finding resources on the topics of how the blockchain works and some of the related cryptocurrencies that use it such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. It includes links to key library subscription resources, including article databases, journals and books, as well as open web content.
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Ask a Librarian - During Regular Library Hours
"Blockchain is the innovative database technology that’s at the heart of nearly all cryptocurrencies. By distributing identical copies of a database across an entire network, blockchain makes it very difficult to hack or cheat the system. While cryptocurrency is the most popular use for blockchain presently, the technology offers the potential to serve a very wide range of applications."
"At its core, blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that stores data of any kind. A blockchain can record information about cryptocurrency transactions, NFT ownership or DeFi smart contracts."
References
Rodeck, D. & Schmidt, J. (2021). What Is Blockchain? Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/what-is-blockchain/
Blockchain is a specific type of database.
It differs from a typical database in the way it stores information; blockchains store data in blocks that are then chained together.
As new data comes in it is entered into a fresh block. Once the block is filled with data it is chained onto the previous block, which makes the data chained together in chronological order.
Different types of information can be stored on a blockchain but the most common use so far has been as a ledger for transactions.
In Bitcoin’s case, blockchain is used in a decentralized way so that no single person or group has control—rather, all users collectively retain control.
Decentralized blockchains are immutable, which means that the data entered is irreversible. For Bitcoin, this means that transactions are permanently recorded and viewable to anyone.
References
Hayes, A. (2022, September 18). Blockchain facts: What is it, how it works, and how it can be used. Investopedia.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blockchain.asp