What does mining a bitcoin really mean?

2017 was the year when curiosity about the Bitcoin hit an all-time high, thanks largely to a dramatic surge in its value. Notwithstanding recent fluctuations in its price, interest remains strong in the original cryptocurrency, which was launched in 2009. One question everybody has is what is the process of “mining” that creates new Bitcoins and how does the blockchain technology underpinning the cryptocurrency really work. Here’s how...