Bitcoin and Blockchains: A Closer Look

Digital data and processes are becoming ever more important in daily life. Now new kinds of currencies are being introduced --- even the notion of money is being challenged. Bitcoin is a digital cryptocurrency that can be used in online payments. It and other cryptocurrencies reply on blockchains to prevent double-spending and preserve anonymity. Bitcoins are managed by a network of computers without governmental or centralized authority. In this lecture, we will explore Bitcoin and other applications of blockchains.

ps. In the same evening, sky watching from a 0.8-meter (32-inch) telescope is at 9pm at the Olin Physical Sciences building (more details are here).

About the speakers:

Bernard Parenteau is a faculty member in computer science at Florida Tech. His main research interests are in cryptocurrencies and blockchains.

Marius Silaghi is a faculty member in computer science at Florida Tech. His main research interests are in cryptography, constraint reasoning, speech recognition, and robotics.

Previous community lectures

• A Closer Look at Computing: The Million-Dollar Algorithms (2017)
• Cryptography: A Closer Look (2016)
• Internet and Security: A Closer Look (2015)
• Big Data: A Closer Look (2014)
• Apple's Siri: A Closer Look (2013)
• How Computing Changed the World (2012)