Blockchain in astronomy
Blockchain in astronomy
A couple of possible uses of this technology in professional astronomy.
Although there is enough information shared on the web about the "blockchain" or blockchain technology, it is worth at least some simple explanation for those who have no idea.
A chain of blocks is a technology whose main intention was to record transactions in a decentralized and encrypted manner. In each block there can be many transactions and each block is related to the previous and the later. When the registered transaction is validated, it can not be modified. It is, therefore, like a database, encrypted, decentralized and unmodifiable. Regarding the latter, it should be added that a firm indicated that it would dedicate itself to creating an editable blockchain version, although that would be almost another technology because the impossibility of editing is one of the nuclei of the idea.
Although the concept was to record money transactions, it is possible to use the same technology for another type of data, even use it not to record an exchange, but directly use it as storage, an alternative to the "cloud".
Can this technology be used in astronomy?
There are at least two possibilities: The Coinatory site reported a few months ago that two startups (technology companies) called AIKON and Hadron would use this technology to process data obtained with Hubble by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), gaining efficiency in the data processing resources.
The other case is Astroblocks, a project of Dr. Jeff Flowers and Yvonne Tang, with the aim of achieving a scientific publication of data with peer review in a secure manner, as indicated in Inside Bitcoins. It can also be used in amateur astronomy, for example, when comets or variable stars are discovered. Through an application, the user registers the discovery within a chain of blocks. The record has a time stamp and is then sent to a panel of experts who will validate or not the record.
Bitcoin mining
According to the Metro newspaper, Dr. Dan Werthimer, of the SETI project, said that the data block mining is preventing research into the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life. It is that for those investigations, a lot of data is collected and then processed. They are usually used for this purpose computers with advanced GPU boards, graphics processing units, but according to this astronomer, in recent months such plates are scarce, since they are used intensively for virtual coin mining.
The cryptocurrency mining is the processing of those transactions to validate them. It requires large computational computing capabilities and, therefore, consumes a lot of energy.
FROM CITIZEN SCIENCE TO THE SCIENTIFIC BUSINESS
It is not unreasonable to compare the two projects of use of blockchain with the initiatives of distributed computing type BOINC. Here I have told of several projects of that platform linked to astronomy. Basically, to process large volumes of data, researchers appeal to many common users, since today home computers have good computing capabilities. The user installs a program and chooses one or several projects and, depending on how it has been configured, the program will download project data, the CPU / GPU will process that data and send the result. As a result, the user's computer spends more energy, which the citizen pays. The winners are the researchers and, particularly, the institutions to which these researchers belong - whether private or state - as they save that processing. Does that make sense? It has it in so many users have very powerful computers that only use a part of those calculation capabilities, which is a waste. Since the user has no obligation and does not obtain any benefit, but instead, increase their energy expenditure, it is convenient to configure the program so that it does not make intensive and permanent use of the computer.
The use of block chains in the aforementioned projects does not seem very different, except for the economic issue. Instead of science institutions using their own computers to process data, or leasing third-party computing capacity (such as clusters), blockchain mining would be used for processing. Such mining generates virtual currencies and commissions for those who do it more quickly and correctly. If business is to obtain a profit, then there is business in both cases, since in both of them someone wins something and someone loses.
The presentation of Astroblocks showed a slide with the potential of that application that included the item: The platform connects experts in intellectual property with entrepreneurs.
It is worth adding to the current technological scenario that many users of desktop computers and notebooks were replacing those devices with smartphones that are not very compatible with cryptocurrency mining, since cell phones are not connected to the electricity network, but have batteries that are not very Long duration. It does not seem that most people can process large volumes of data with smartphones or home personal computers. One might think to what extent this is "decentralized".
That is to say that one goes from the romantic citizen who voluntarily and gratuitously collaborates in science projects (saving a cost to private or state institutions and assuming that cost), the enterprising citizen who processes data to obtain virtual currencies. That is to say that the science that is really put into play is economics.
For some years the judicial system in Argentina and journalism have been talking about investigating "the money route" in some cases of corruption. However, the route of money should always be traced in all cases. A possible common denominator in all cases is that the game of economics is always the same: a zero-sum game.
Sources and related links
Astroblocks Puts Proofs of Scientific Discoveries on the Bitcoin Blockchain
https://insidebitcoins.com/news/astroblocks-puts-proofs-of-scientific-discoveries-on-the-bitcoin-blockchain/31153
Blockchain for astronomy
https://coinatory.com/2018/07/27/blockchain-for-astronomy/
Bitcoin cryptocurrency craze is stopping us from finding aliens, astronomer claims
https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/14/bitcoin-cryptocurrency-craze-stopping-us-finding-aliens-astronomer-claims-7313084/
Siliconian: ASTROBLOCKS
https://www.siliconian.com/component/content/article/11-portfolio/blockchain/4-astroblocks
About the images
Image and screenshots: Credit: Siliconian / Blockchain University.
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