*By Alisha Haridasani*
It’s the most divisive question since the blue and black dress (or was it white and gold?!): Do you hear Yanny or Laurel?
Technically, the answer is "Laurel." But some people swear it's "Yanny."
The question, which is ripping the internet apart, revolves around an audio clip [reportedly](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/15/science/yanny-laurel.html) posted on Reddit by a student who found it on a vocabulary website when researching a school project under the word "laurel." The clip went viral, leaving many listeners questioning what they heard ー and maybe their sanity.
The discrepancy in what people hear could be due to circumstance, said Brad Story, professor of speech, language, and hearing at the University of Arizona.
“It really is going to depend on the information that you have in terms of your bias toward listening to it at that moment in time," said Story. "That’s what we call ‘top-down information’ ー trying to make sense of any kind of pattern that's present.”
The two words share very similar acoustic characteristics that your brain could selectively hear it one way or the other, he said.
The bass, frequency, and volume of the audio clip can also influence what someone hears. Some people posted videos on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/JFLivesay/status/996585941241401346) where the audio levels were adjusted, changing how the clip could be heard.
So, whatever the *technical* answer to the question is, in reality, it can be both.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/yanny-vs-laurel).
On this episode of "The Deep End," we're venturing outside. Whether it's spending time in a national park, turning streets into public spaces to relax in, or having an outside date near the beach, there's plenty to do in the great outdoors.
In this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News is taking a closer look at something that we are all intimately familiar with: food. Whether it's a sign of cultural identity, the foundation of many businesses, or simply as a means of nourishing our bodies, food is an essential part of what it means to be human.
From Broadway to NFT art to TikTok, the world is getting more creative. On this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News explores the world of entertainment.
In this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News explores the social justice movements defining the start of a new decade. From systemic racism and climate change to police brutality and women's rights, these are just a few of the harsh realities America has reckoned with amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We're taking a closer look at where the nation stands today.
On this episode of "The Deep End," Cheddar News takes a closer look at taboo topics. Some people call them vices, while other people call them hobbies. But what we do know is the line between what is accepted and what is illicit is getting blurred more and more each day.
Two zebras running loose since they escaped a Maryland farm about four months ago have been caught.
Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of violating George Floyd’s civil rights.
Carlo and Baker cover the latest data showing the Omicron wave has likely started, Pfizer's Covid pill, Jan. 6 and a box office rescue attempt courtesy of Spider-Man.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the nominees for the 79th Annual Golden Globe awards. The ceremony is set to take place on January 9, 2022. Gerrad Hall, senior awards editor at Entertainment Weekly, joins Cheddar News to discuss the nominations.
A University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds that 35% of mothers report doing more than their partner for each of eight specified household responsibilities.
