The papal conclave smoke signal has evolved from an incidental byproduct of burning ballots into a carefully engineered communication tool ...

For white smoke, a compound of the chemicals potassium chlorate, lactose, and rosin (also known as Greek pitch) is used, ...

Here's how the conclave creates black and white smoke and why the Catholic Church began using them to signal whether a new ...

As the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis begins, cardinals will be voting multiple times per day until a ...

The result is a mixture of steam and white or light gray smoke that contrasts sharply with the dark, carbon-rich black smoke. Over the years, the papal conclave smoke signal has evolved from an ...

At the end of each voting round, black smoke means a new pope has not yet to be selected, while white smoke indicates a new ...

Rather than soot, the smoke contains microscopic droplets and fine solids that are transparent or white. The result is a ...

The first secret conclave voting round went ahead today but no pope was elected as shown by the black smoke rising from the ...

For much of the past century, the conclave has needed between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I—the pope who ...

The use of chemicals to ensure either black or white smoke was introduced after the 1958 conclave when damp straw added to papers from an unsuccessful ballot did not ignite at first. White smoke ...

A change in popes is a complicated process. Centuries-old rituals are involved in the transition in leadership for both the ...

A new pontiff has been selected on the second day of the conclave. The signal was met with an eruption of cheers from the ...