Is it possible to access and verify any piece of information from Ethereum’s past? The answer is a resounding yes, thanks to a novel tool known as the “on-chain accumulator”. The London-based start-up, Herodotus, has introduced this groundbreaking tool, which employs a cryptographic technique called “storage proofs”. This development is a collaborative effort with StarkWare, a firm renowned for their solutions aimed at improving scalability. This tool seeks to address a prevailing limitation in Ethereum that only verifies the most recent 256 blockhashes.
Unfolding Ethereum’s Past with StarkWare’s Storage Proofs
Storage proofs are a cryptographic method that validates the authenticity of data, transactions, or assets on a blockchain without needing a third party. The use of storage proofs in the on-chain accumulator tool will make it possible for anyone to access any segment of Ethereum historical data, without any time limitations. Kacper Koziol, co-founder of Herodotus, anticipates that this innovation will align Ethereum more closely with the principles of transparency and accessibility, which are fundamental to blockchain communities.
The Practical Applications of On-chain Accumulator
This technology is not just about validating Ethereum historical data. It also opens up new possibilities for creating permissionless “account recovery systems” that rely on past and present on-chain data verification. Additionally, it can potentially simplify the process of developing insurance protocols that base their payouts or coverage offerings on historical on-chain activities.
The Power of Stark Prover in Storage Proofs
The on-chain accumulator tool harnesses the power of the Stark prover, a creation of Eli Ben-Sasson, the President of StarkWare. In this specific case, Herodotus used a custom version of StarkWare’s shared prover (SHARP). This technology is not only compatible with Ethereum, but also with Layer 2 blockchain Starknet.
It’s worth mentioning that platforms like cryptoview.io can greatly benefit from such advancements. By providing accurate and verified Ethereum historical data, it enhances the user experience and trust in the platform.
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