Overview

• The papal conclave has begun in Vatican City, with 133 cardinals gathered to select a new pope following the death of Pope Francis.
• Black smoke signals indicate inconclusive votes, while white smoke announces the election of a new pope, a tradition dating back to the 15th century.
• The Vatican's current smoke recipes, published in 2013, use potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulfur for black smoke, and potassium chlorate, lactose, and pine resin for white smoke.
• Modern pyrotechnic chemistry ensures unmistakable smoke colors, eliminating the ambiguity that plagued earlier methods involving damp straw and tar.
• The Sistine Chapel chimney, installed in the 18th century to protect Michelangelo’s frescoes, remains central to this centuries-old ritual.