The blockchain was invented in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto, who is the pseudonym for an unknown person or persons. The original paper outlining the concept of the blockchain was published under Nakamoto's name and discussed a new way to store and transfer data that was secure, transparent, and decentralized. The paper proposed using a peer-to-peer network to timestamp transactions and prevent double-spending, which would allow for a more efficient and secure way of conducting transactions. While the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto remains a mystery, it is clear that they were the first to propose the concept of the blockchain. Nakamoto's work laid the foundation for the development of Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency to use blockchain technology. Since then, blockchain has been adopted by a range of industries and is being used to create more efficient and secure systems for everything from supply chain management to voting.