This article, extracted from a foundational book about bitcoin called 21 Ways, tells the conceptual and technical background to Bitcoin. It’s a long read but extremely worthwhile. As the crypto world gets more and more layered and complex this kind of clear and focused history is very helpful for visualizing and understanding the in-chain systems we rely on

The more I learn about digital currencies.. the less I realize I know. "In the first decade of its existence, Bitcoin went from idea to implementation to proof-of-concept to niche monetary asset. In the next decade, it will probably become a force on its own, transcending boundaries and transforming our understanding of money and value in the process. The idea, however, wasn’t conceived at Bitcoin’s birth: it was conceived by thinkers and tinkerers of the electronic age, multiple decades before Satoshi Nakamoto entered the scene."