The Quirky World of Cryptocurrency Mining: Tinkers, Oddities, and Ingenuity
There’s an undeniable charm about Bitcoin and blockchain that seems to draw in eccentric inventors and tinkerers. Despite the dominance of powerful ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) miners in the world of cryptocurrency mining today, innovative enthusiasts have made headlines by trying their hand at mining with the most unusual devices—from retro gaming consoles to the legendary Apollo moon mission’s guidance computer. Let’s explore some of the wackiest attempts at securing the crypto network, showcasing human creativity at its finest.
Press X to Mine Bitcoin
If you’ve ever been scolded by your parents for spending too much time gaming, it might be time to turn the tables. PlayStation consoles, in particular, have made a splash in the mining world. In 2021, Ukraine’s Security Service uncovered a massive crypto mining operation that reportedly siphoned off electrical power worth $260,000 monthly. Authorities seized 5,000 devices from the operation, including a staggering 3,800 PlayStation 4 consoles, along with graphics cards, CPUs, and other gadgets.
Fast forward a few years, and computer hardware manufacturer ASRock debuted a formidable $15,000 rig featuring 12 AMD BC-250 mining cards, a scaled-down version of the chip used in PlayStation 5 systems. These mining rigs boasted a mining capacity of up to 610 MH/s for Ethereum back when it utilized the proof-of-work model, highlighting the creative potential in repurposing consumer hardware for crypto mining.
Mining Bitcoin with a Botnet of CCTV Cameras
The rise of smart devices has opened the door to fascinating—and somewhat concerning—ways of mining Bitcoin. In 2017, researchers found that a variant of the infamous Mirai botnet had been adapted to mine Bitcoin. Initially identified in 2016, Mirai was notorious for infecting smart devices to conduct Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks.
In 2017, this clever adaptation led to attempts to mine Bitcoin using a vast network of compromised machines. The malware targeted Linux systems running BusyBox, infecting devices like DVR cameras and even enabling a large-scale association of machines to potentially operate as a low-functioning mining consortium. While experts debated its effectiveness against the formidable ASIC miners of the time, the sheer scale of such botnets suggested a novel approach to mining.
Mining on a Game Boy: Because Why Not?
In a particularly whimsical twist, the retro Nintendo Game Boy has also entered the crypto mining arena. YouTuber Stacksmashing transformed one of these iconic devices into a Bitcoin miner using a Raspberry Pi Pico, a link cable, and some clever software. Running a custom ROM, the Game Boy interfaces with a computer to communicate with the Bitcoin network.
The result? A surprisingly audible whine from the Game Boy as it grinds away at the mining process, producing around 0.8 hashes per second. To put it in perspective, modern ASIC miners achieve a staggering 100 terahashes per second. With this rate, it would take the Game Boy a staggering couple of quadrillion years to successfully mine a single Bitcoin block. Despite its impracticality, the project was a delightful blend of nostalgia and tech experimentation.
Mining Bitcoin on the Computer That Went to the Moon
What’s slower than a Game Boy? According to vintage computer restorer Ken Shirriff, it’s the Apollo Guidance Computer, the very machine that aided astronauts in landing on the Moon. Shirriff attempted to mine Bitcoin on this vintage 1960s computer, which was revolutionary at its time for its compact design compared to the massive computers of its era.
The historical challenge was immense, ranging from the computer’s incompatibility with mining software to its limited memory. Shirriff managed to achieve a paltry 10.3 seconds per hash, translating to an astonishingly impractical time – a million times longer than the age of the universe to successfully mine a Bitcoin.
Mining Bitcoin with Pen and Paper
Shirriff’s experiments didn’t stop at ancient computers. Long before his Apollo computer attempt, he illustrated the sheer absurdity of mining Bitcoin—one could technically do it with nothing but pen and paper. He documented his painstaking attempt to execute the SHA-256 algorithm manually, taking 16 minutes and 45 seconds for a single round. To complete a full block, with 128 required rounds, it would take over a day—a pace dwarfing modern ASIC miners by unthinkable orders of magnitude.
While this method is entirely impractical, it serves as a humorous reminder of human dedication and perseverance in the face of technological evolution.
Microsoft’s Brainy Mining Idea
In 2019, Microsoft conceptualized a groundbreaking yet bizarre approach to cryptocurrency mining. The tech giant filed a patent for a system that would utilize bodily functions—like brainwaves and other unconscious movements—as proof of work. This system would allow users to earn cryptocurrency based on activities that traditional mining demands significant computation to perform.
The patent, while intriguing, was abandoned by 2021, highlighting the line between theory and practical application in the ever-evolving nature of cryptocurrency technology.
A Playground of Innovation
These creative exploits into cryptocurrency mining showcase the boundless realms of human curiosity and ingenuity. From gaming consoles and vintage computers to imaginative methods such as pen and paper and brain activity, the spirit of technical exploration thrives in the crypto community. As the blockchain world continues to develop, who knows what other unconventional mining techniques will emerge next?
