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

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 ...

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

The 2025 papal conclave is underway. Who will be the new pope when the white smoke settles? Who is the odds-on favorite? Are ...

This livestream has ended. White smoke is pouring out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling that a pope has been elected ...

Papal conclave ballots have been burned to maintain secrecy for centuries. Ballot smoke has been used to announce a decision ...

Black smoke has been rising from the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the cardinals have not yet elected a new pope on Thursday ...

The Vatican’s cardinals gather in conclave today to begin electing the successor to the late Pope Francis—which means the ...

Catholic cardinals are gathering at the Vatican for the 2025 conclave to choose Pope Francis' successor. Here's how long it could take.

This selection comes after two days of conclave in the Sistine Chapel, tying the modern record for the fastest selection of a ...

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

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 ...