Show HN: Btfy – a blockchain that uses weather observations | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: Btfy – a blockchain that uses weather observations

github.com

10 pointsyuzu_mikan7 comments

Hi HN,

I built Btfy, an experimental blockchain that uses weather observations as a source of unpredictability for consensus

The motivation is simple. Proof of Work generates uncertainty by performing computations. I wanted to explore whether we could obtain some of that uncertainty from the real world instead.

Btfy combines weather observation data with a Verifiable Delay Function (VDF):

Weather Observation Data -> VDF -> Block -> Hash Chain

In the current implementation, observation data is collected from multiple locations, a VDF is computed, and the result is used to generate a block. Furthermore, because each block depends on the hash of the previous block, making it difficult to replay previously observed weather data to construct an alternative history.

This is strictly an experimental project and not a production-ready consensus protocol. I am particularly interested in the security assumptions here: specifically, how much uncertainty weather observation data can actually provide, how an attacker might manipulate or predict the beacon, and whether the VDF plays a meaningful role in this design.

Btfy is still a very early-stage project and requires various forms of validation. However, I hope this sparks exploration into the possibilities of new blockchains based on real-world information. I would love to hear your feedback.

Thanks!

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I would especially appreciate your feedback on the security assumptions of this design.

How much unpredictability can meteorological data actually provide?

All constructive opinions are very welcome.

Can you outline your baseline for "unpredictability", first?

Thank you for the interesting question! Indeed, the baseline for unpredictability is not strictly defined. I used unpredictability to describe whether an attacker can accurately predict future values. Btfy has parameters such as the difficulty of the VDF and the tolerance range for temperature observation errors. These parameters are related to unpredictability, and we plan to determine appropriate values through future verification and research. I would also love to hear everyone's opinions on how to more appropriately formalize or quantify the baseline for unpredictability!

Very interesting idea. I really like the aim to eliminate the absurdal energy waste of standard Blockchain.

> absurdal energy waste of standard Blockchain.

Proof of work is pretty much put of fashion. I'm not sure I'd consider it to be "standard" anymore.

Thanks for the feedback! That is a very accurate observation. With the rise of Proof of Stake and other energy-efficient mechanisms, I agree that Proof of Work is no longer the sole "standard." When I used the word "standard" in my project, it was primarily to contrast Btfy with the mechanism of competing computational resources seen in Bitcoin, which first defined the concept of blockchain unpredictability. Even compared to modern alternatives like Proof of Stake, which rely on economic incentives, Btfy explores a different philosophical and technical path.

Thanks for the feedback! That's literally one of the main reasons we started this project.

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