Btfy – a blockchain that uses weather observations
Hi HN, I built Btfy, an experimental blockchain that uses weather observations as a source of unpredictability for consensus The motivation is simple. Proof of Work generates uncertainty by performing computations. I wanted to explore whether we could obtain some of that uncertainty from the real world instead. Btfy combines weather observation data with a Verifiable Delay Function (VDF): Weather Observation Data -> VDF -> Block -> Hash Chain In the current implementation, observation data is collected from multiple locations, a VDF is computed, and the result is used to generate a block.…
In plain words
Btfy is an experimental blockchain that replaces traditional computational proof of work with real-world weather observations as a source of randomness for consensus. The system combines weather data collected from multiple locations with a Verifiable Delay Function to generate blocks in a hash chain, making it difficult to alter historical records. Designed for researchers and developers interested in alternative consensus mechanisms, this project explores whether unpredictability can be obtained from environmental data rather than computation alone.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hi HN, I built Btfy, an experimental blockchain that uses weather observations as a source of unpredictability for consensus The motivation is simple. Proof of Work generates uncertainty by performing computations. I wanted to explore whether we could obtain some of that uncertainty from the real world instead. Btfy combines weather observation data with a Verifiable Delay Function (VDF): Weather Observation Data -> VDF -> Block -> Hash Chain In the current implementation, observation data is collected from multiple locations, a VDF is computed, and the result is used to generate a block. Furthermore, because each block depends on the hash of the previous block, making it difficult to replay previously observed weather data to construct an alternative history. This is strictly an experimental project and not a production-ready consensus protocol. I am particularly interested in the security assumptions here: specifically, how much uncertainty weather observation data can actually provide, how an attacker might manipulate or predict the beacon, and whether the VDF plays a meaningful role in this design. Btfy is still a very early-stage project and requires various forms of validation. However, I hope this sparks exploration into the possibilities of new blockchains based on real-world information. I would love to hear your feedback. Thanks!
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