Pyrotechnic chemistry drives the Vatican’s recipes for the black and white smoke used to announce papal election outcomes ...

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

Black smoke is produced by burning ballots with chemicals like potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulfur. White smoke is created by burning ballots with a mixture of potassium chlorate ...

Ballots are burned in the process, but the smoke seen by the world is created using another stove, the Vatican Information ...

For black smoke, the Vatican uses a mixture of potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulphur. The white smoke used to signal that a Pope has been chosen is created from potassium chlorate ...