What is the science behind the smoke signals on the Sistine Chapel to announce if a new pope has been elected?

The Catholic Church got a new pope, Pope Leo XIV - who was elected by the cardinals of the church, on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

The inauguration Mass on May 18 will be the formal installation ceremony where Pope Leo XIV will receive the Fisherman’s Ring and the pallium as symbols of his papal office. The “taking possession” ...

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old Chicago-born missionary, was elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic ...

Peace be with you,' Pope Leo XIV said in greeting the thousands of people who packed St. Peter's Square, a plaza brimming ...

Becoming pope was a big deal for a cardinal and his family. Leading candidates known as papabili (pope-ables) began ...

When that happens, white smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel's chimney. If the two-thirds majority is not reached, black smoke is emitted instead, signaling that the conclave will resume with further ...

White smoke was seen emanating from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, indicating that a two-thirds vote has been reached to elect the new pope.

The first American Pope has a family history with deep ties to New Orleans. Robert Prevost, who has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV, was elected as the next pontiff on Thursday following a two-day ...

But white smoke was seen shortly before the noon bells rung, prompting confusion among the crowds. There was a similar incident during the 1958 conclave, when white smoke initially emerged but then ...

White smoke from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday signaled that the cardinals have selected the next leader of the Catholic ...