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 that a new Pope has been elected. But what kind of smoke is it exactly?