Validated Solana Foundation

Oracles are an essential part of how real-world data gets integrated into DeFi smart contracts, but historically, that process has been fraught with challenges. In this episode, Jayant Krishnamurthy (Duoro Labs) explains how Pyth is addressing these challenges and redefining how a blockchain oracle can work. Originally built on Solana’s L1, Pyth is a low-latency, high-frequency oracle that has expanded beyond the Solana ecosystem and now provides data feeds for over 30 blockchains. The way it does this is through Pythnet – the first network to deploy the Solana codebase for an application specific blockchain.

Multisigs, short for "multiple signatures," are wallets that require multiple private keys to authorize transactions. In the wake of 2022's many collapses, multisigs have increasingly become the default security paradigm in both the Solana ecosystem and the crypto space more broadly. In this episode, Stepan Smikin (Squads) discusses the many use cases for multisigs and the importance of having a security-first mindset, while also sharing insights on what it's like building a multisig specifically on Solana. Other topics include Squads' formal verification, approaches to monetization, and more.

Technology has defined the form and function of storytelling since the beginning of time. In this episode, storyteller, artist, and professor Lance Weiler offers an optimistic perspective on how blockchain, AI, and other frontier technologies will affect storytellers across mediums. Rather than discussing the tech behind NFTs on Solana, Lance shows us what it's like for an artist to apply that technology to human expression. He considers on how models of IP may evolve to be more "open source," the role of technology in art education, and more.

In today's episode, Austin moderates a panel discussion about compression with Jon Wong (Solana Foundation), Noah Prince (Helium Foundation), and Ilmoi (Tensor). Compression is a way of storing data on Solana that reduces costs by orders of magnitude. For now, its most common use case is compressed NFTs. With compression, you can mint one hundred million NFTs for two thousand dollars. Jon, Noah, and Ilmoi dive into the tech of how compression works, the ways in which developers are utilizing it, and how it may be a driving force in Solana's mass adoption.

Transparency is one of the key features of blockchain, and block explorers play an important role in that transparency. However, navigating explorers on Solana can have a high learning curve, even for crypto natives. This is due to Solana’s abstract data structures, a feature that makes indexing and interpreting data on the blockchain difficult. In this episode, Fathur Rahman (SolanaFM) discusses ways of building block explorers on Solana that will improve user experience. Through clever engineering, Fathur thinks it's possible for Solana block explorers to one day feel as intuitive as traditional search engines. We also discuss explorer revenue models, the role of explorers in smart contract security, and more.

As of 2023, the gaming industry is worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Why disrupt something that's working so well by introducing blockchain into the equation? In this episode, Michael Wagner (ATMTA/Star Atlas) makes the case for blockchain games. Star Atlas, the flagship game that Michael and his team are working on, is a AAA game that uses Solana as its main infrastructure. He describes why this design is compelling for Star Atlas, the technology behind how it all works, its impact on the user experience, and more.