Blockchain: Beyond the Basics

Learn about blockchain technology and the implications of decentralized, encrypted data storage for business and society.

Blockchain is an exciting new technology that is redefining how we store, update, and move data. Learn about the blockchain and the implications of decentralized, encrypted data storage for business and society, in this course with Dr. Jonathan Reichental. He begins by explaining exactly how the blockchain works, including the concepts of cryptography, mining, distribution, and smart contracts. Next, he describes how the blockchain enables the most popular cryptocurrency, bitcoin. Learn how new bitcoin is generated, how it is transacted, and the requirements for participating as either an exchange, a trader, or a miner. The course also covers other popular technology manifestations of blockchain, such as Hyperledger and Ripple. Dr. Reichental then puts blockchain technology in context in several different industries, including energy and security, and helps learners understand how to think about the blockchain in ways that can be applied in any field.

Introduction

• Welcome
• What you should know

1. Overview of Blockchain Basics

• Blockchain overview
• Blockchain: The basics
• Blockchain: Beyond the basics

2. How Does Blockchain Work?

• What are public and private keys?
• Introducing nonces, hash functions, and mining
• The immutable distributed ledger

3. How Blockchain Enables Bitcoin

• The birth of bitcoin
• How bitcoin is created and managed
• Financial services and blockchain
• Altcoins, altchains, and ICOs

4. The Wider Blockchain Universe

• Blockchain in practice: Hyperledger and Ripple
• Using Ethereum to write smart contracts

5. Implementing Blockchain

• The energy sector and blockchain
• Identity management and blockchain

6. Risks

• The risks of blockchain

Conclusion

• Next steps

Introduction

• Welcome
• What you should know

1. Overview of Blockchain Basics

• Blockchain overview
• Blockchain: The basics
• Blockchain: Beyond the basics

2. How Does Blockchain Work?

• What are public and private keys?
• Introducing nonces, hash functions, and mining
• The immutable distributed ledger

3. How Blockchain Enables Bitcoin

• The birth of bitcoin
• How bitcoin is created and managed
• Financial services and blockchain
• Altcoins, altchains, and ICOs

4. The Wider Blockchain Universe

• Blockchain in practice: Hyperledger and Ripple
• Using Ethereum to write smart contracts

5. Implementing Blockchain

• The energy sector and blockchain
• Identity management and blockchain

6. Risks

• The risks of blockchain

Conclusion

• Next steps