It seems an eye blink, the fact that in the middle of 2 or 3 years ago almost nobody knew the existence of the blockchain until the beginning of 2017 when a great speculative euphoria broke out on the main cryptocurrency of the coinmarketcap and the altcoins. Everyone expected to become a millionaire overnight with this magical money.

From that time, as many ordinary people as large corporations began to worry about knowing more about this innovative technology that promised many things. It also began to say many things like that the blockchain is going to save the world, which was created by aliens, that only those who have advanced computer skills can use it, which is appropriate for the development of criminal activities, among others.

Although cryptocurrencies and blockchain have been trying to reach the last corner of the planet for some time for adoption, there are still things that are said about blockchain and that, in some cases, are not true:

- Cryptocurrencies and blockchain are used by criminals

It is true that the distribution and anonymity offered by the blockchain are attributes that can be exploited by criminals, but they are also beneficial characteristics for law-abiding people who are in an environment where there is no legal and political stability. If it is not possible to trust local governments and banks due to corruption, cryptocurrencies mean a good store of value.

- The blockchain is a magical database found in the cloud

In general terms, the blockchain contains flat information, that is, a simple transaction list or record that grows indefinitely and is replicated on all nodes that are part of the distributed computer network. The blockchain provides a "proof of life or existence" of the data it contains.

A blockchain cannot itself store digital files such as photographs, videos, music, PDF because, in general terms, the size of its blocks is limited, this means that a common photograph taken on a cell phone does not It could fit a block. What the blockchain does is to store a "hash" that certifies the existence of a certain document that is stored, for example, using the IPFS network protocol.

- The blockchain will solve all the problems of humanity

While it is true that blockchain promises to be a tool that will help solve many problems in a better way, we still do not know the scope it can have. It may be that in the future we realize that, in fact, it can solve more questions than we initially imagined, but it may also be that it does not meet expectations and does not go far.

- Transactions that occur in a blockchain are completely anonymous

It is commonly believed that all transactions are anonymous, but this is not the case. Despite being encrypted, the transactions are public, that is, they can be seen by anyone through a blockchain. It is possible to map Bitcoin addresses, for example, and determine who owns meat and bone. It tends to be said that the transactions are anonymous simply because they do not relate to the identity of the user.

- The only application of the blockchain is cryptocurrencies

Although blockchain is one of the underlying technologies of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, a blockchain can exist and function without a native cryptocurrency. Any type of activity that requires recording data in an immutable way and that this data cannot be modified, deleted or censored, could and should use a blockchain.

- Smart contracts have the same legal value as regular contracts.

For now, smart contracts are just pieces of code that execute actions automatically when certain conditions are met. Therefore, they are not considered valid contracts from a legal perspective. However, they can be used as proof of whether or not a certain task has been carried out. Smart contracts are very powerful tools that would allow machines to own themselves and work for themselves.

- Blockchain is not reliable because cryptocurrencies are volatile

It is a misconception to relate the volatility of cryptocurrencies to the credibility of blockchain technology that has an infinite number of applications that go far beyond money. As with most developing technologies, initial use cases, interfaces and content are overvalued, but the underlying technologies are underestimated, as this is increasingly moving towards consolidation in the world.

The Emerging New Technologies such as the Blockchain will undoubtedly change significantly some paradigms in today's society, solve needs and interests to choose what is most convenient for each user. Moreover, it is not infallible and still has many limitations and inconveniences to solve.