Exploring blockchain and cryptocurrency - a joint learning experience

I guess most people on Steemit know what a blockchain is and how cryptocurrencies work. You've probably been using it for a while, you might have mined your own cryptocurrencies or made a fortune the past months trading Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple or Dash. Well, I don't. I am all new to this and I am on a journey to learn. I am a regular guy, I have no knowledge of coding and although I like to think I can easily pick up new technologies I have a feeling I might be in over my head on this one.

I am not going to learn alone. I am going to share my learning experience here on Steemit. You can tag along for the ride if you like, you can laugh at me for not knowing what you already know or you may help me out trying to figure out how blockchains work.

Here is what I understand so far:

Blockchain is a relatively new technology that has the potential to change the way we store and transfer data. It sounds kinda boring, but this is huge. In short a Blockchain is a decentralised database in which data is stored. By design, blockchains are inherently resistant to modification of the data. This makes them very secure.

Blockchains are currently getting a lot of attention because of the price spike of cryptocurrencies. These are virtual, non-government issued, currencies of which the balance and transactions are kept in a blockchain. However, there are many more applications for blockchains. Just to name a few:

• Universities can issue transcripts of grades and diplomas on a blockchain, eliminating the need for time consuming diploma verification.
• Banks are currently already using a blockchain to speed up international money transfers from 2-5 days to 8 seconds.
• Blockchains lower transaction costs, making it possible for consumers to buy energy from dozens of energy producers, switching between them depending on their electricity demand, the availability of electricity from suppliers and the price. Cryptocurrency can be added onto this system to enable automatic billing.
• I think blockchains could potentially disrupt the way scientific articles are published and referenced.

The basic principle of a blockchain is that everyone, or at least many actors within the network, keeps a copy of a "ledger" of all past transactions. There is a system in place that enables all actors on the network to decide and agree upon which transaction is next and which transactions are valid.

My short term learning goals are:

• Find out how everyone in the network agrees upon which transaction is next and which transactions are valid.
• Find out whether this is the same for every blockchain, or whether different blockchains have different mechanisms.

My long term learning goals are:

• Understand how blockchains work
• Understand how blockchains can be used to store, transfer and certify documents
• Create a blockchain

If you want to help me learn, that is greatly appreciated! Please let me know where I can find answers to my questions.
If you want to join me on my journey through blockchain land, click on my profile name to follow me.