Proof-of-work is the original way cryptocurrencies added new blocks to blockchains

Proof-of-work versus proof-of-stake: what's the difference?

The two main consensus mechanisms—the way blockchains confirm and enshrine information—are proof-of-stake and proof-of-work. An overview compares the differences between the two and the latter's ability to reduce the energy intensity of the computation process, which has emerged as one of the biggest criticisms of the crypto boom.

Explaining the Ethereum merge in simple terms

Ethereum slowly switched the way it adds blocks to the chain. In 2022, it completed its transition from a proof-of-work model to a proof-of-stake model. That event, called “The Merge,” happened when it combined two Ethereum blockchains operating under different systems. For an explanation of proof-of-work and proof-of-stake, and the significance of switching from one to the other, read this article.

How to stake Ethereum

Ethereum switched to a proof-of-stake method for validating transactions in recent years, and now investors can stake 32 ether to participate and earn rewards. Several ways to get involved in ether staking exist, with varying levels of income, difficulty, and impact. Some allow users to stake less than 32 ether by pooling funds with other users, while others require less advanced hardware. Read about the different staking methods here.

Bitcoin mining validates/adds bitcoin transactions onto the blockchain

Mining, done by a decentralized network of actors, is incredibly energy intensive, making the award of bitcoins a major incentive.

A visual guide to how bitcoin transactions work and rely on cryptography

The "crypto-" in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin refers to the mathematical functions that generate pairs of public and private keys and encrypt data in blocks. When combined, these systems secure transactions on the network, verify digital asset and token transfers, and contribute to end-user anonymity.

Solana is a blockchain designed for fast, scalable, low-cost transactions

Solana uses a unique Proof-of-History and Proof-of-Stake hybrid to process thousands of transactions per second. Solana supports a wide range of Web3 applications, offering an alternative to Ethereum with lower fees and faster speeds. Its native cryptocurrency, SOL, is used for transactions, staking, and governance.

Ethereum is a blockchain-powered operating system known for its cryptocurrency, ether

Ethereum's underlying blockchain allows developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) that leverage smart contracts to seamlessly run decentralized financial tools (crypto wallets, exchanges, marketplaces, and more), along with Web3 concepts like non-fungible tokens.

eCash paved the way for today’s popular crypto investments

Bitcoin is typically cited as the first decentralized cryptocurrency. But some argue that back in the 1990s, eCash was technically the first cryptocurrency, although it wasn't decentralized.

NFTs can be minted using an online marketplace or directly on the blockchain

Minting, or creating, an NFT is how NFTs are added to the blockchain. The process can be simplified by using a popular marketplace.

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

A company called Bluprynt is combating counterfeit cryptocurrency

While some cryptocurrency advocates might argue that it's more difficult to counterfeit crypto than physical currency, some estimate that fake cryptocurrencies are losing crypto users at least $1.6B each year.

Ledgers—what are they good for?

It might seem strange that a ledger—a dull and practical document associated mainly with accounting—would be described as a revolutionary technology. But the blockchain matters because ledgers matter. Read (or listen to) this 14 minute breakdown on why ledgers matter.

The different types of stablecoins include algorithmic stablecoins

In addition to fiat-backed stablecoins, commodity-backed stablecoins, and cryptocurrency-backed stablecoins, algorithmic stablecoins use smart contract-based mechanisms to maintain a stable value by responding to supply and demand.

How quantum computers can empower Shor's algorithm to break digital encryption

Secure communications largely rely on numeric keys generated by multiplying two enormous prime numbers together, and it is computationally impractical to determine these primes by trying to divide by every possible one. While Shor's algorithm can provide better guesses for this brute-force approach, it relies on a number that is difficult to determine on classical computers but much easier to calculate using the simultaneous computations enabled by quantum superposition.

Worldcoin: the cryptocurrency collecting biometric data

An ambitious project launched by OpenAI's founder Sam Altman, Worldcoin aims to provide a global financial and identity network based on proof of personhood through biometric scanning of individuals' irises.

Distinguishing between Web 1.0, 2.0, and 3, all made possible by the internet

The World Wide Web began as read-only, static webpages on Web 1.0, where data could not be entered. With Web 2.0, the online interface became a read-write space for data entry, post creation, and forum participation, among other activities. Web3 is intended to be decentralized, user-owned, and built on blockchain technology.

Passkeys, a new authentication method, aim to replace traditional passwords

Passkeys use cryptography keys to secure logins without passwords, resisting phishing and risks from data breaches. The FIDO Alliance developed passkeys as a combination of public and private keys for authentication.

Weird ways critical minerals are being mined

Critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and graphite are economically crucial non-fuel resources subject to supply chain risks. To diversify production, scientists developed odd ways to harvest them. This article breaks down the weirdest approaches, including extracting minerals from seawater using algae, phytomining plants, and asteroids.

All computers are defined by their ability to input, store, process, and output data

From wooden machines to wearable tech, computers have changed a lot in appearance, but they all still perform the same essential tasks. Early computers were made of wood and metal—some were so big that they filled entire rooms just to solve simple math problems.

Cryptocurrency and data center growth are expected to increase greenhouse gas emissions

An analysis from the Open Energy Outlook Initiative estimates a 30% increase in emissions through 2030, as growing energy demands in regions where data centers are being built (20%-30%) far exceed the traditional growth rate of utilities in those areas (1%-2%). The emissions spike is expected to equal France's annual carbon output.

Should companies be owned by their workers?

In the last half-century, so-called private equity has transformed industries by purchasing private companies, cutting costs, loading up debt, and then selling the business at a premium—all at a huge profit to the investors. Workers, on the other hand, are often left with nothing. Listen to how both pro-worker economists and a private equity stalwart are trying to shift ownership to workers—a growing tactic proven to improve worker satisfaction and company value.

CUDA was Nvidia’s first step into artificial intelligence

CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture) is a parallel computing platform that was developed by Nvidia in the mid-2000s. By letting people perform computations in parallel, rather than sequentially, CUDA allowed people to compute large amounts of data quickly. CUDA has been used to build machine-learning models as well.

Artificial photosynthesis turns CO₂ into sustainable fuel

Carbon conversion focuses on a central perplexing question: if carbon dioxide is a leading driver of climate change, and fossil fuels are made of carbon-based molecules, can we devise a way to convert CO₂ into useful alternatives efficiently? This video breaks down a potential pathway using artificial photosynthesis, which uses sunlight to convert CO₂ into fuel.

Why atoms are used to keep track of time and define the meaning of a second

Small variations in the production of human-made devices, such as mechanical watches and pendulums, make them unreliable for the ultraprecise timekeeping required by modern technology, including financial transaction timestamping and GPS. Because atoms obey fundamental laws of nature and never wear out, their light emissions when energized provide a consistent timekeeping signal.

How legendary artists overcame creative block

For most artists, creative block—the unfortunate experience when new ideas suddenly disappear—is inevitable. This Artsy article looks at six artists (including Picasso, Monet, and O’Keeffe) who dealt with creative block and overcame it by experimenting with new media, moving to a new place, or by sheer willpower. It also highlights one artist, Chuck Close, who claims that he never dealt with creative block because he simply viewed his artistic practice as any other job.

Calculate creator economy platform costs

The creator economy continues to be an attractive way to earn money for many people. While many platforms exist to help creators monetize their work, each has different feature sets and pricing models. This calculator helps workers decide which platform works best for them.

How fusion—which releases energy when two lighter atoms combine to form a heavier atom—differs from fission

Some renewable energy sources may weaken the resiliency of electric grids by removing outage buffers provided by coal- and natural gas-fired plants, which provide the system with more time to find a new power source if a plant goes down.

When you complete a CAPTCHA on a website to prove you are human, you may be unknowingly training algorithms for self-driving cars, whose systems require training data to help identify crosswalks, bicycles, and other outdoor objects.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Some coin denominations have ridges etched on their sides, partly to prevent counterfeiting, in a practice called 'reeding.'

Pure water does not conduct electricity because this flow of energy requires the movement of charged particles, and water is a neutral molecule.

Watch this video that uses Lego bricks to explain how venture capital works.

Watch how deep-sea mining equipment collects and processes polymetallic nodules—metal-rich, potato-shaped rocks—from the ocean floor and creates environmentally damaging plumes of sediments.

Radioactive elements can introduce software errors because the ionizing radiation they produce can detach electrons from atoms, and computer code relies on the distribution of electrons.

Gerrymandering works through two techniques: cracking opposing voters across districts to dilute their power, and packing them into a few to waste their votes in lopsided majorities.

An initial public offering or 'IPO' is the process of a private company becoming public by putting shares of the company on the stock market for purchase.

Netflix profits when you're not watching, and its movies are designed that way—read a detail-rich critical essay exposing lesser-known Netflix takes

Art theft is the third-largest source of criminal revenues worldwide, thanks in part to the subjective nature of valuing a work of art.

Explore fun facts from the USPS, including unique post office buildings, a stamp that traveled past Pluto, and more.

The term 'algorithm' originated from the Latinized name of al-Khwārizmī, a 9th-century mathematician whose works introduced Arabic numerals and the decimal-based numeral system to Europe and whose treatise 'Al-Jabr' gave algebra its name.

Long before Major League Baseball began allowing instant replay for balls and strikes, an umpire reluctantly used the technology to determine whether a hit was a home run, a move that inadvertently ushered in a new era for the sport.

Sony set the standard for cylinder-shaped batteries when it repurposed manufacturing equipment used to make rolls of magnetic recording tape.

The US Constitution is widely regarded as the longest-standing written national constitution still in force—see how it has influenced rights worldwide.

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

After the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to coffee, which became the main morning drink for revolutionaries.

Scientists can determine Earth's past climate conditions by analyzing air trapped in microscopic bubbles within ice cores—columns of compressed snow layers that build up over hundreds of thousands of years.

'Silent' fireworks have gained more interest in recent years as a quieter celebratory option.

Dozens of S&P 500 stocks, including Coca-Cola and Walmart—known as the dividend aristocrats—have increased dividends every year for 25 years

Double world record holder Hunter Ewen helped conquer his fear of balloons, called globophobia, by training to win Guinness World Record titles for balloon inflation.