The Ethereum Merge is expected to happen this week after the final shadow fork was successfully completed.
The Merge will see the network move from an energy-guzzling proof-of-work system – where mining rigs solving complex mathematical problems validate blockchains, as also seen with Bitcoin – to proof-of-stake.
Merging the Ethereum mainnet with the proof-of-stake beacon chain should make the network immediately faster and more scalable, as well as 99% more energy-efficient.
The first test ahead of the Merge was held back in April. They have allowed Ethereum developers to practice running nodes, deploying contracts and testing the infrastructure.
Now with the final test having successfully completed, Ethereum – backed by the world’s second most valuable cryptocurrency – is bracing itself for the move over.
Google, meanwhile, is marking the event with a countdown timer.
Typing ‘Ethereum Merge’, ‘the Merge’ or something similar into the search engine brings up a countdown clock which, according to a tweet from Google Cloud developer Sam Padilla, is connected directly to the blockchain.
The time left is estimated on the current difficulty, hash rate and merge difficulty. At 7am UK time on Monday, it is showing 2 days 21 hrs 4 mins.
The countdown is illustrated by two happy pandas rushing to embrace one another.