Nostr Web Client

A lot of the increase in hashrate is just the improvement to Asic efficiency, which doesn't mean it's more secure.

I think power consumption is a much better way to measure security than hash rate imo

You can always make a better Asic but the power itself is capped by the universe

I think you are onto something but missing a step. Cost of hash provided is the correct measurement of how much security I add to the network. My cost of hash provided is a mix of 2 things. Up front cost for the new miner amortized over the Life of the miner and recurring for electric.

That means improved efficiency forcing miners to all upgrade is more secure than getting that hash by a magical jump in efficiency.

I think asics will hit physical limits in time. Efficiency improvements come from smaller transistors, they are already catching CPU and GPU scale which are slowing the rate that they shrink.

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Discussion

Jeroen Ubbink 9mo ago

Physical limits will be reached, but are already being worked around in different ways. This is also typical of the type of communication used (electrons in metal).

Photons are actually much more efficient for communication (which is basically why we are replacing all existing coper lines with optic fiber). There are already working prototypes of these kinds of designs and i think a working prototype "cpu". Still requires a lot of engineering but i don't think we'll ever reach "we cannot improve this anymore ever".

Bill Cypher 9mo ago

There must be a physical limit in the universe. Humans will be extinct long before we get there though.

Abstract Equilibrium 9mo ago

Planck units & constants are extreme. We got time.