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

But what does the smoke mean? There are multiple voting rounds during a papal conclave. A pope is elected when a candidate receives a two-thirds majority of the votes. When that happens, white smoke ...

For white smoke, a compound of the chemicals potassium chlorate, lactose, and rosin (also known as Greek pitch) is used, while potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulfur are used for the black ...

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

Papal conclave ballots have been burned to maintain secrecy for centuries. Ballot smoke has been used to announce a decision since 1914.

Here's what to know about the black and white smoke used during a papal conclave. Live updates: Black smoke signals no pope named in today's first conclave ballots More: How accurate is the movie ...

Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions ...

On the afternoon of Thursday, May 8, white smoke from the Sistine Chapel's chimney billowed into the sky, prompting waves of ...

At Conclave, what's the difference between white smoke and black smoke coming from the Sistine Chapel chimney? We have an ...

Prévost will go by the papal name of Pope Leo XIV. After a candidate is selected by a majority of the vote, white smoke is released to signal to the public the conclave is ending. Then, the new pope ...

Here's what to know about the black and white smoke used during a papal conclave. A papal conclave is an election of a new pope, conducted by the College of Cardinals − bishops and Vatican officials ...