*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).
What to watch in tonight's big debate, how Biden might frame Trump's tax returns and are we in the early days of a third COVID wave?
Sidewalk dining in New York City has become permanent after its initial success during the coronavirus pandemic. Keith Powers, NYC council member, joined Cheddar to discuss the city's vision for restaurants and potential economic recovery for some establishments.
Northern California’s wine country was on fire again as strong winds fanned flames in the already scorched region, prompting evacuation orders involving more than 50,000 people.
The GOP sets a timeline for confirming Amy Coney Barrett, two decades worth of President Trump's tax records are revealed, and more.
The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lay in state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, the first woman in American history so honored at the domed building.
California’s largest wildfire is threatening a marijuana growing enclave and authorities say many of the local residents have refused to evacuate.
The pandemic is now striking cities with much smaller populations, often in conservative corners of America where anti-mask sentiment runs high.
Jill and Carlo talk about the growing concerns over a contested election, signs that negotiations on a stimulus package are back on, how college football is able to return -- plus Love, Hate, Ate: Listener Submission Edition!
Shannon Lee, daughter of Bruce Lee and CEO of Bruce Lee Family Companies, along with actor, Andrew Koj, joined Cheddar to talk upcoming show, "Warrior."
Protests erupt after no officers are charged directly in the killing of Breonna Taylor; Trump already prepping legal battle on election; promising news on school transmission and vaccine progress and more.
