Part 4/16:
At the core of Andreas' explanation is Bitcoin's revolutionary solution to the Byzantine Generals Problem—an enduring challenge in achieving consensus over insecure or adversarial networks. Originating in 1975 within computer science, this problem involves coordinating trust among multiple parties over an untrusted channel. Early assumptions deemed it impossible to solve; skeptics ridiculed Nakamoto’s proposal.
However, Andreas highlights that Bitcoin’s underlying technology — proof-of-work and distributed ledgers — demonstrates that such consensus can be achieved effectively in a decentralized network. The cornerstone is the blockchain: a digitally immutable, globally distributed ledger that records all transactions transparently and reliably.