diff --git a/ch12_mining.adoc b/ch12_mining.adoc index 9b8c9796..3cfdacee 100644 --- a/ch12_mining.adoc +++ b/ch12_mining.adoc @@ -1028,6 +1028,8 @@ perspective of each node. Eventually everything is synchronized to create a common blockchain. Bitcoin reaches consensus every 10 minutes about the state of the blockchain as it existed in the _past_. +++++ +

The timestamps set in block headers are set by the miners. There is a certain degree of latitude allowed by the consensus rules to account for differences in clock accuracy between decentralized nodes. However, this @@ -1038,6 +1040,8 @@ the block subsidy reserved for future miners. If they can set their times in the past for some blocks, they can use the current time for some other blocks, and so again make it look like there's a long time between blocks for the purpose of manipulating difficulty. +

+++++ To prevent manipulation, Bitcoin has two consensus rules. The first is that no node will accept any block with a time further in the future