The Download: making Bitcoin greener, and Elon Musk’s chatbot plans

Last yr, Ethereum went inexperienced. The second-most in style crypto platform transitioned to proof of stake, an energy-efficient framework for including new blocks of transactions, NFTs, and different data to the blockchain. 

When Ethereum accomplished the improve, referred to as “the Merge,” in September, it lowered its direct power consumption by 99%. Meanwhile, Bitcoin continues to eat as a lot power as all the nation of the Philippines, with a single Bitcoin transaction utilizing the identical quantity of power as a single US family over the course of practically a month.

But change could also be on the horizon. Although the Bitcoin neighborhood has traditionally been fiercely resistant to alter, stress from regulators and environmentalists fed up with Bitcoin’s large carbon footprint might power them to rethink that stance. 

So what wouldn’t it take to make a swap? Read the full story.

—Amy Castor

This is a part of our TR Explains sequence, by which our writers untangle the advanced, messy world of expertise that will help you perceive what’s coming subsequent. You can read more of them here.

If you’d prefer to learn extra about Ethereum:

+ Why Ethereum switched to proof of stake.Read the full story.
+ Our story from when The Merge occurred. Read the full story.