Black and white smoke is used to represent the cardinals' decisions each day, as they are sequestered and cannot share this news directly. If one candidate doesn't receive the necessary two-thirds ...

Black smoke emerging from the chimney means the world's 1.4 billion Catholics don't yet have a new pope. White smoke means the cardinals have chosen a new leader of the church.

For three votes, the smoke spewed out in thick black billows, indicating a new pope has yet to be chosen. The conclave needs 77 votes, or a two-thirds majority from 115 cardinal-electors, for a ...

Black smoke indicates a non-conclusive answer, and white smoke indicates that a new pope has been selected. This process is part of a papal conclave.

The 2025 Conclave begins today to elect Pope Francis’s successor. Here’s what time to watch for black or white smoke, how the process works, and where to stream it live.

Black smoke indicates a non-conclusive answer, 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.

During a Papal Conclave, the world will be watching for white or black smoke from the Vatican's chimney. Here's what it means.

FILE;:White smoke is seen from the roof of the Sistine Chapel indicating that the College of Cardinals elected a new Pope on March 13, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican.

It wasn’t clear whether grey smoke was closer to black or white, for example. By the 1970s, the straw method had been abandoned in favour of more controllable chemical mixtures.

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 inbox each morning.

During the 2013 conclave that led to the election of Pope Francis, the black smoke was produced using a mixture of potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar) and sulfur.