Genesis Block
The first block of a blockchain, hardcoded at the start with no block before it to reference.
Every chain begins with one block that has no parent, the genesis block. It's written directly into the software rather than mined like later blocks, so all nodes start from the same agreed point.
Bitcoin's genesis block, mined in January 2009, carried a hidden message in its data: a newspaper headline about bank bailouts. Satoshi Nakamoto left it as a timestamp and a statement of intent.
Related terms
A batch of transactions bundled together, time-stamped, and cryptographically linked to the block before it.
Block HeightThe number of blocks between a given block and the very first one, used to pinpoint its position.
BlockchainA shared digital ledger that records transactions in linked batches, copied across many computers and hard to alter.
Satoshi NakamotoThe pseudonymous person or group who created Bitcoin and then disappeared, leaving the project to the community.