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 ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Monica is an entertainment reporter covering TV, film, and music.

Here puffs of black smoke mark voting rounds that fail to converge on a winner until the cardinals announce that they have come to an agreement by releasing a plume of white smoke, the dramatic ...

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? Let’s ...