#82 Untangling: Sharding & Scalability with Bowen Wang

In this week's episode of Untangling Web3, we're thrilled to host Bowen Wang, head of protocol at NEAR, a leading figure in blockchain technology.

This episode delves into the cutting-edge topic of blockchain scalability through sharding, a pivotal aspect of NEAR's development strategy aimed at overcoming existing limitations and propelling widespread adoption.

Key highlights:

• Blockchain Scalability Challenges: Bowen elaborates on how scalability is a bottleneck for blockchain adoption, describing how traditional blockchain architectures struggle to handle large-scale usage without compromising speed or incurring high fees.
• Sharding Explained: The episode explains the concept of sharding, where blockchain divides data across multiple nodes to enhance transaction throughput and efficiency, likened to how vast social media platforms manage vast user data.
• Nightshade 2.0 Upgrade: Bowen discusses NEAR's latest upgrade, Nightshade 2.0, which employs a sharding mechanism to dramatically increase transaction capacity and reduce latency, aiming for true mass adoption scalability.

Today's discussion with Bowen Wang sheds light on how sharding and other innovative approaches can resolve longstanding blockchain challenges. The insights provided highlight NEAR's commitment to enhancing blockchain usability and accessibility, ensuring the technology's readiness for a global user base.

This leap in blockchain technology marks a significant milestone in fulfilling the promise of decentralized technology for everyday applications.

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This episode is sponsored by the VeChain foundation. Learn more about VeBetterDAO here:

https://vebetterdao.org/

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Learn more about Web3 at:

https://untanglingweb3.com/

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Untangling Web3 is brought to you by hosts Jack Davies and Alec Burns, with music by Daniel Paigge. Got a question or topic suggestion? Send us an email at [email protected].

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The views we express here are our own, and do not represent the views of our employers. Nothing discussed or stated in the show should be considered advice.