Universe of Pi

When people hear the word “blockchain,” they often think of cryptocurrency or finance. But there’s much more to it. At Stanford University, Dr. Nicolas Kokkalis saw that potential early on. He created and taught CS359B:  Decentralized Applications on Blockchain, a course that helped students understand how blockchain could be used to build systems that are secure, fair, and useful beyond money. CS359B wasn’t just about theory. It focused on decentralization as a design principle. That means giving users more control, reducing reliance on central authorities, and building systems that work through shared trust. The course also explored how people interact with these systems, how design affects usability and how technology can be shaped by real human needs. At the time, other universities were starting to look into blockchain, but CS359B stood out. It was one of the first courses in the world to treat decentralization as a practical challenge, not just a techn...

Technology That Puts People First Most of us use apps every day, whether it’s for messaging, shopping, banking, or learning. But behind the scenes, many of these apps rely on centralized systems. That means one company or server controls how the app works, who can use it, and what data gets stored. Now imagine a different kind of app. One that doesn’t rely on a single company. One that’s built to be fair, open, and secure from the start. These are called decentralized applications, or dApps. And they’re changing how we think about technology. What Are Decentralized Applications? Decentralized applications run on networks that aren’t controlled by any one person or organization. Instead of storing data in one place, they use blockchain, a system that spreads information across many computers. This makes dApps: - More secure, because there’s no single point of failure. - More transparent, because anyone can see how they work. - More inclusive, because people can use them without needing ...