[Feature] Zero Knowledge Proofs: A Primer for Those With Zero Knowledge of Blockchain 

In the world of blockchain, where trust and transparency reign supreme, zero knowledge proofs offer the possibility of privacy and security without compromising on convenience. It allows for information to be shared and verified without exposing the details. But how does it work?

Zero knowledge proofs allow one party to prove to another party that they know something without actually revealing the information itself. How do they do it? Through the use of complex mathematical algorithms and equations that are impossible to reverse engineer.

An easier way to understand this would be to imagine a locked door. A person who knows the secret code to open the door can prove that they know the code by opening the door without revealing the code itself to a third party (or a server). It's this ingenious method of authentication that sets ZKPs apart from traditional methods of verification.

Yet the concept and function of ZKPs aren't new. A long-standing mathematical wizardry that's been around since the 80s, ZKPs only recently became the apple of the blockchain world's eye.

ZKPs are not without their challenges. Convenience with security undoubtedly comes at a cost. ZKPs require significant computational resources to be generated and verified, which can limit their applicability in practice.

That being said, there has been significant progress in developing ZKP-based systems in recent years. For example, the Bulletproofs protocol has been shown to significantly reduce the computational overhead of generating and verifying ZKPs. According to Benedikt Bünz et al., "Bulletproofs provide a way to significantly reduce the size of proofs, while maintaining the same security guarantees...[they] have been integrated into a number of real-world blockchain systems, including Monero and Ethereum"

As the use of zero knowledge proofs becomes more widespread, it is essential to continue exploring its potential and limitations. The future of blockchain and its applications to the layperson will undoubtedly be influenced by this revolutionary concept.