Ethereum merge countdown appears on Google

The data for the timer comes from the blockchain in real-time

12.09.2022 - 09:00

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What’s new? Google Cloud developer Sam Padilla reported on Twitter that the search engine added a countdown timer to the launch of The Merge upgrade on the Ethereum network, it is displayed when typing the corresponding query. At the time of publication of the post (September 10, 09:26 UTC), the timer showed 5 days, 1 hour, and 46 minutes.

Hey @VitalikButerin @drakefjustin & other @ethereum folks, go google "the merge" for a fun little surprise & appreciation.Everyone is so excited for what is coming and appreciative of the work that has been going into this for years. pic.twitter.com/3bgifV6Ywn— Sam Padilla (@theSamPadilla) September 9, 2022

What is known about the Ethereum upgrade? Due to the algorithm change from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS), the way coins are earned on the network will change from mining to staking. The upgrade may also result in a split into two networks, one of which will continue to run on PoW. In August, the developers published a document refuting misconceptions related to the upcoming upgrade.

What other data does the timer contain? It collects information from Ethereum in real-time using nodes hosted on Google, and also shows the current hashrate and difficulty of the network. The timer contains an “easter egg” in the form of a drawing of two bears, black and white, moving towards each other. At the launch of the upgrade, the drawings will merge into an image of a panda.

On September 6, Ethereum developers activated the Bellatrix upgrade, which was the last step before the transition of the mainnet to PoS. After the launch, technical problems were recorded on the network. The blockchain’s missed block rate increased by 1700%. Typically, this figure is 0,5%, but after Bellatrix, it increased to 9%.

Read about what difficulties the upgrade may cause and how it will affect the price of ETH in GetBlock Magazine’s special feature.

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