the smoke is unmistakable – thick black billows for inconclusive votes, or a bright white plume when a new pope is elected. The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking news brand ...

While this process is held in secrecy, the rest of the world is informed on the group's daily decisions by white or black-colored smoke funneled from the top of the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke ...

Johnson also noted, "A stereotypical association of the colour of the smoke — white (positive) and black (negative) — lies behind the use of the two contrasting smoke colours." Over the years ...

Tradition holds that black smoke indicates the cardinals have not yet agreed on a new leader, while white smoke signals ... Join The Conversation for free today. By the 19th century, it had ...

In a tradition that scholars date to the 19th century, smoke released from a chimney will be colored white if the cardinals have made a decision, or black if ... that is free from aggression.

And once the election process for a new pope begins, gatherers will turn upward each day, waiting for black or white smoke to fill the sky. Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21. He was 88 years ...

What time could we see black or white smoke billow out of the ... Here are a few free options to tune in and watch the smoke results.

And if you've never seen this all go down before, you may wonder: what's the difference between black smoke and white smoke coming out of that chimney? The answer: black smoke means they've voted ...

Black smoke indicates that votes have been cast, but no candidate has received the two-thirds majority required to be elected pope. White smoke means that a new pope has been selected. The color ...

Historically, the white smoke was created by burning the ballots together with dry straw. The black smoke was made from the ballots, wet straw, and with the addition of pitch to darken the color.

Tradition holds that black smoke indicates the cardinals have not yet agreed on a new leader, while white smoke signals that a new Pope has been elected. But what kind of smoke is it exactly?