user63081: I noticed that in recent blocks there has been lots of transactions that has been waiting for as many as 3 days. 
For example, just randomly picking a block 492200, which was produced on 2017-10-29 12:04:50, there are transactions that date back to 2017-10-26 17:32:41
However, when I looked at blocks just two weeks ago, there weren't any transaction that were waiting for so long. Again randomly picking an example block 490200, produced on 2017-10-16 20:54:59, the earliest transaction in that block I could find was sent out on 2017-10-16 13:02:04. 
So what has happened to the block chain in the past two weeks (except for the Bitcoin Gold fork, but I don't see how that relates to this)?
Note: I am not asking about how to solve unconfirmed transactions. I am just simply curious what is causing this to happen as block times and network hash power doesn't seem to have changed much.
Another example: Transaction is stuck and unspent 2days+

user12983: 
So what has happened to the block chain 

Some miners moved their hashpower to Bictoin Cash blockchain because it was more profitable for a while. https://cash.coin.dance/blocks
This resulted less hash power on bitcoin main chain and larger intervals between blocks.

63081: <p>I noticed that in recent blocks there has been lots of transactions that has been waiting for as many as 3 days. </p>

<p>For example, <a href="https://blockchain.info/block/0000000000000000000c76675727edeb8585bb02e4c46ae7f3e8b177d7103f5a" rel="nofollow noreferrer">just randomly picking a block 492200</a>, which was produced on 2017-10-29 12:04:50, there are <a href="https://blockchain.info/tx/ff9a41402603c17cb22eb837cd45fa833fcfb0b34c02e820a79b422553bf539e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">transactions that date back to 2017-10-26 17:32:41</a></p>

<p>However, when I looked at blocks just two weeks ago, there weren't any transaction that were waiting for so long. Again <a href="https://blockchain.info/block/0000000000000000002d74a296b94a363c5cb1406d34b65f0b8a3297abb7813b" rel="nofollow noreferrer">randomly picking an example block 490200</a>, produced on 2017-10-16 20:54:59, the <a href="https://blockchain.info/tx/240a41af0951315941de88f3f12766bec2e99052519a8998c79e6339ba30609e" rel="nofollow noreferrer">earliest transaction in that block I could find was sent out on 2017-10-16 13:02:04</a>. </p>

<p>So what has happened to the block chain in the past two weeks (except for the Bitcoin Gold fork, but I don't see how that relates to this)?</p>

<p><em>Note: I am not asking about how to <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/a/41972/63081">solve unconfirmed transactions</a>. I am just simply curious what is causing this to happen <del>as block times and network hash power doesn't seem to have changed much</del>.</em></p>

<p>Another example: <a href="https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/q/61547/63081">Transaction is stuck and unspent 2days+</a></p>
 12983: <blockquote>
  <p>So what has happened to the block chain </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Some miners moved their hashpower to Bictoin Cash blockchain because it was more profitable for a while. <a href="https://cash.coin.dance/blocks" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://cash.coin.dance/blocks</a></p>

<p>This resulted less hash power on bitcoin main chain and larger intervals between blocks.</p>
