• What is a Blockchain?

      10 articles and videos that will help you

      understand what it is and why you should care.

    • Yes, there are huge challenges to overcome. But it’s clearer every quarter that tech capable of shifting today’s centers of power is becoming viable. This could change everything.

       

      But few understand it, and I think that’s a problem. So, I’m sharing the list of links I give to my friends. (and if you are already deep in the space, here are 5 reasons Friends help Friends Understand Blockchains.)

       

      Keep in mind: as soon as you get beyond a cursory definition, it gets complicated—fast. This is not only because blockchain technology can be used in many ways, but because everyone seems to want to explain all the pieces that make it work at once, and that's overwhelming. So, it takes some patience for it all to click.

       

      Spend time with a solid handful of these links, and you'll start to get a feel for it, I promise. And once you do, I suggest going out and searching for blockchain + whatever industry interests you. Music? Real estate? Education? Food? There are examples out there that will blow your mind, and I hope you will want to learn more (I included links to an extra five "next step" resources below the top 10).

       

      Find something you like better than these? Send a note to alison@unblockedfuture.com or @unblockedfuture on Twitter with your suggestions (I've already switched out one link!).

       

      Here's to learning!

      Alison McCauley

    • The Top 10: Blockchain Basics

    • Understand Blockchains

      in Two Minutes

      Nice intro video from Institute for the Future (even if the title overpromises). It touches on both why blockchains matters and how it works.

      Bitcoin and The Blockchain

       

      This overview from the BBC packs a lot of carefully explained and important information into five minutes.

      Blockchains, Explained

       

      MIT Sloan article with a nice Q&A with Professor Christian Catalini that talks to blockchains, cryptocurrencies, and how they will impact a broad range of industries.

       

       

      New York Times Special

      Section on Blockchains

      A fantastic collection of articles ranging from basic explainers to discussion of impact. I recommend reading them all.

       

       

       

      MIT Technology Review’s Blockchain Issue

      Start by reading Gideon Lichfield's Letter from the Editor, and don't miss the cover story. The publication requires a subscription beyond a few intro articles.

      The New Technology of Trust

      High production value tour of how blockchain works from Goldman Sachs. A great walkthrough, and many really like this one.

      What is Blockchain Tech?

      Excellent primer on the mechanics. Once you’ve read this piece from CB Insights you'll have a taste of the basics. CB Insights also has a wealth of other information on blockchain use cases on their site

       

      Blockchain for Babies

      Give Layne Haber's article three minutes, and you will come away with a high level understanding of how blockchains work. She'll be releasing articles that talk to other important aspects of blockchains soon.

       

       

      Why Bitcoin Matters

      Now historical article (2014) from Marc Andreessen. This stays on the list because Marc clearly explains areas that people tend to trip over. The gulf between the technology community and everyone else still exists. Note that Marc focuses on Bitcoin and the Bitcoin blockchain, but that much of what he talks about is extensible to other blockchains.

       

       

      What is Cryptocurrency?

      Still feeling lost? Don't worry, “It's everything you don't understand about money combined with everything you don't understand about computers."

       

      Thank you, John Oliver, for making it possible to laugh and learn at the same time.

    • Interested in More?

      Please say yes. The resources below help you get a little deeper.

    • Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Basics

      This Commonwealth Club discussion with two incredible women: Kathryn Haun and Laura Shin. This discussion breaks down and walks you through many important basics. The first 13 minutes are focused on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency; at 13:51 they talk more broadly about blockchains.

      Nathaniel Popper's history of the Bitcoin blockchain's early years is entertaining and great learning at the same time. I tell my friends this is an absolute essential read.

      Unchained Podcast

      Laura Shin's podcast is a fantastic way to go deeper. Start with the Crypto 101 episode, in which Elaine Zelby interviews Laura. But you will learn something important about the space in every episode. I've had many friends end up hooked.

       

       

       

      The Original Whitepaper

      With some basic background, the first few pages of Satoshi Nakamoto's whitepaper is surprisingly easy to read. Please read it—it is an important historical grounding, and at the very least will give you a little extra cred at cocktail parties. There is no mention of blockchains (that term came later), but this is the beginning of it all.

       

       

      Jill Carlson's Reading List

      Jill gives what I consider the essential reading list for those ready for more on her site. Come for the reading list, stay for her writing.

    • Historical Perspective

      Yeah, it was hard then too.

      We're in the early days of blockchain. How early? Check out this video of the Today Show, circa 1994, to get a feel for how hard the Internet was to explain way back when.

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