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.

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

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 ...

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

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 ...

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

and white smoke indicates that a new pope has been selected. Here's what to know about the black and white smoke used during a papal conclave. Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your ...

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The Catholic church's eligible cardinals are behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel for a secret vote to elect a successor ...

Black smoke billowed over the Vatican on Wednesday to signal that no candidate received the required two-thirds majority of cardinal electors to become the next pope. The big picture: White smoke is ...

Italy’s Pietro Parolin leads odds on the Polymarket and Kalshi betting platforms, while Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines ...