Overview
On June 23, 2021, the Ethereum Foundation Research Team hosted its sixth Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit, covering critical topics like consensus mechanisms, staking, the Merge, sharding, Layer 2, state management, and Ethereum’s economic model. This curated compilation focuses on consensus, the Merge, sharding, staking, and Layer 2, with Part 2 addressing state management, statelessness, and EIP-1559.
👉 Read the full Reddit AMA here
Consensus Mechanisms
1. Difficulty Bomb and PoW Fork Prevention
Q: How does Ethereum prevent miners from removing the difficulty bomb in a potential PoW fork?
A:
The difficulty bomb ensures inevitable forks, avoiding stagnation like Bitcoin’s conservatism. If miners persist with PoW, they must fork voluntarily.
Key Insight:
- Carl Beekhuizen (EF): The bomb forces active choices, eliminating a "default" PoW continuation.
2. Hybrid PoS/PoW Viability
Q: Thoughts on hybrid PoS/PoW mechanisms?
Vitalik’s Take:
- Hybrid models suit communities valuing "physical reality ties." For Ethereum, pure PoS is superior if successfully implemented.
3. PoW Block Rewards Post-Merge
Q: Could PoW rewards be reduced to offset PoS issuance?
EF Responses:
- Justin Drake: No plans. PoW security remains essential pre-Merge.
- Danny Ryan: Altering PoW rewards risks delaying the Merge.
The Merge and Roadmap
1. Remaining Hurdles for the Merge
Vitalik:
- Research is complete. Focus shifts to development and testing (specs).
2. Post-Merge Upgrades
Q: What follows the Merge in 2022?
Justin Drake:
- Sharding and statelessness are next. Rollups (e.g., Arbitrum, Optimism) will ease scaling pressure.
- Danny Ryan: Expect debates on precompiles post-upgrades.
Sharding
1. Data Sharding Mechanics
Q: How will L1 contracts benefit from data sharding?
Danny Ryan:
- Rollups will leverage shards for cheaper data storage (~100x cost reduction).
- Independent fee markets for execution and data availability.
Dankrad Feist:
- DAS (Data Availability Sampling) could deploy via soft fork within 12 months post-sharding.
2. Rollups and Sharding Synergy
Vitalik:
- Shards serve as data layers, enabling rollups to cut costs and migrate sidechains.
Staking
1. Partial Withdrawals
Q: Can stakers withdraw rewards while retaining 32 ETH?
Justin Drake:
- "Transfers" (partial withdrawals) will be enabled post-Merge, avoiding full exits/reactivations.
2. Lowering Staking Minimums
Vitalik:
Reducing below 32 ETH demands RAM/CPU optimizations. Solutions:
- Decentralized pools with MPC.
- SNARK-based lightweight validators.
3. CEX vs. Decentralized Staking
Justin Drake:
- MPC-friendly designs allow shared validator ownership (e.g., 8 parties managing 4 ETH each).
Layer 2 and Scalability
1. EVM Optimizations for Rollups
Justin Drake:
- EVM is SNARK-unfriendly. Adjustments could boost optimistic rollups 10x.
2. L2 Composability Challenges
Dankrad Feist:
- Rollups using multiple shards maintain internal composability, debunking "shards kill composability."
3. Post-Sharding Scalability
Justin Drake:
- Nielsen’s Law (bandwidth growth) suggests future capacity for 7M+ TPS via rollups and sharding.
4. zkRollups and STARKs
Dankrad Feist:
- Efficient zkVM rollups may render executable shards obsolete.
FAQs
1. When will the Merge occur?
The Merge follows successful testing, aiming for 2022. Sharding launches later.
2. How does staking APY change post-Merge?
APY could rise to double digits due to MEV and reduced risks.
3. Will DAS compromise security?
No—DAS builds on committee-based safety and can soft-fork post-sharding.
👉 Explore Ethereum’s roadmap further
ECN’s translations aim to bridge language gaps in Ethereum’s global community. All credits to the original authors and ethereum.cn.
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