Blockchain in a nutshell

Abstract: Blockchain enables a digital society where people can contribute, collaborate, and transact without having to second-guess trust and transparency. It is the technology behind the success of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and many disruptive applications and platforms that have positive impact in numerous sectors, including finance, education, health care, environment, transportation, and philanthropy, to name a few. This chapter provides a friendly description of essential concepts, mathematics, and algorithms that lay the foundation for blockchain technology.