Explore the stories below for curated news, stories, and inspiration from within the Cardano ecosystem.
Doom (1993) remains a cultural icon, now demonstrated on Cardano's blockchain using Hydra heads. By leveraging Hydra's ability to handle complex operations off-chain, the game runs in real-time through smart contracts validating deterministic game states. While running Doom on a blockchain is impractical, this tech demo highlights Hydra's potential, offering open-source components and innovative approaches that could inspire new blockchain applications.
The ledger team added minor features like ledger state queries for voting on proposals and transaction size computations, while focusing on Conway testing and conformance tests. The Lace team released version 1.14 with CIP-95 support and bug fixes. Hydra released version 0.18.0, addressing a Conway fork issue and adding incremental decommits. GovTool is active on preview and SanchoNet, with 67% of stake upgraded to node v.9.1.0 for the Chang upgrade. Catalyst released the Catalyst Horizons report and is preparing for engagements at Rare Evo. The education team is reviewing the Cardano Developer course and updating "Mastering Cardano".
The consensus team began work on Q3 2024 goals, focusing on db-truncater behavior, EmptySlot error details, new trace messages, and UTXO-HD feature branch updates. Lace is prepared for the Chang upgrade and DRep registration on the mainnet. Plutus completed testing bitwise primitives, now improving Plinth documentation. Hydra made progress on bug fixes and Agda transition, while Mithril worked on stake distribution certification and nearly completed a CIP draft. Catalyst Fund12 onboarding is progressing, and the education team wrapped up a successful course in Argentina, preparing for the upcoming Cardano Days event in Wyoming.
Cardano is a third-generation, layer 1 blockchain that enhances scalability, security, and efficiency, building on the strengths of Bitcoin and Ethereum while addressing their limitations. It employs a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, using its native cryptocurrency, ada, for governance and network security. Cardano’s extended UTXO model supports secure, deterministic smart contracts, making it ideal for enterprise-grade applications. Its rigorous, peer-reviewed development approach, diverse use cases, and evolving governance model position Cardano as a leading platform for decentralized applications, tokenization, and blockchain solutions across multiple industries.
Cardano is strengthening its presence in Argentina through key initiatives, including developer workshops, the ADN event, and discussions with government officials. The ALBA program at UTN is advancing blockchain education, and a recent workshop led by IOG culminated in a graduation event attended by Charles Hoskinson. The ADN event showcased blockchain innovations, while government talks explored blockchain's potential in Argentina. Additionally, Cardano's first community-driven Constitutional Workshop was held in Argentina. These activities highlight Cardano's commitment to local engagement and blockchain innovation. The Cardano Foundation also launched the SSI Wallet Alpha Program, inviting users to test and contribute to its development.
The ledger team focused on Conway features and fixed a bug affecting functionality post-bootstrap. Hydra worked on network reliability, upgraded the Hydra head for node compatibility, and introduced a technical writing guide. Mithril released distribution 2430.0, supporting Cardano node 9.1.0, activated transaction certification in test networks, and continued CIP drafting. Catalyst's onboarding is progressing, with Town Hall 173 marking Fund12's end. The education team completed a Cardano Developer course in Buenos Aires and organized a graduation event for smart contract developers.
Intersect’s organizational structure is crucial to the Cardano ecosystem, featuring seven key committees: Budget, Cardano Civics, Marketing, Membership & Community, Open Source, Parameters, and Technology Steering. These committees manage various aspects of Cardano’s development and governance. They collaborate with Working Groups and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) to ensure efficient and decentralized network management. This episode provides a detailed overview of each committee’s responsibilities and their contributions to Cardano’s growth.
Input Output Global has launched the alpha v1 release of partner chains, enabling new blockchain networks to bootstrap security by leveraging Cardano's stake pool operators (SPOs). This release introduces innovations like shared security, mixed validator committees, and consensus model flexibility, allowing partner chains to benefit from Cardano's extensive network. While this release is not for live production, it marks a significant milestone in realizing Charles' vision. Midnight will be the first partner chain to use this technology, with further developments and feedback expected in the coming months.
In 2024, Cardano is transitioning to a fully community-run governance structure, with Intersect playing a crucial supporting role. Six key developments to expect include:
Cardano node v.9.1.0 has been released, featuring critical updates for the upcoming Chang upgrade, including a Conway genesis file, CLI enhancements, and CIP compatibility. Performance benchmarks for node v.9.0.0 showed significant improvements. The networking team advanced tx-submission design and reviewed Genesis pull requests. The Lace team is preparing for version 1.14, and Plutus TX has been rebranded as Plinth. The Hydra and Mithril teams made progress on network reliability and transaction certification. The education team is in Argentina teaching a Cardano Developer course.
