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

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 ...

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

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

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

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

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 ...

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 ...

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

No cameras will be allowed inside the church during the vote, so the result will remain secret until white smoke emerges from ...