Following Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade, which significantly reduced data fees, developers have found a playful way to test the blockchain’s new capabilities. Leveraging the drop in fees, the entire script of Jerry Seinfeld’s animated comedy, “Bee Movie,” was uploaded onto the Ethereum blockchain, marking a whimsical milestone in blockchain’s history.
The Advent of “Blobs” and Reduced Data Fees
The Dencun upgrade introduced “blobs,” a feature designed to provide a cost-effective and temporary data storage solution, particularly benefiting layer 2 networks like Optimism and Base blockchain. This feature has not only reduced fees for layer 2 networks but has also enabled unique and creative uses of the blockchain, such as uploading cultural memes like the “Bee Movie” script.
Cultural Memes Meet Blockchain Technology
The meme of copying and pasting the “Bee Movie” script, which originated on Tumblr and quickly spread across various social media platforms, has found its way onto the Ethereum blockchain. Paradigm developer Dan Cline was among the first to post the script on the mainnet using the new blobs feature, costing him about $14. Subsequently, another developer managed to post the script for just $5 as fees continued to drop.
This whimsical application of blockchain technology highlights the evolving landscape of Ethereum’s capabilities, bringing together internet culture and cutting-edge technological advancements.
Impact on Layer 2 Network Fees
The implementation of blobs has had a tangible impact on the fees associated with layer 2 networks. Data from L2Fees shows that fees on the Optimism network dropped to less than a cent, while Base blockchain developers reported a staggering 99.8% drop in fees. This significant reduction in costs is a testament to the effectiveness of the Dencun upgrade in enhancing the scalability and affordability of transactions on the Ethereum network.