*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).
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus indicated the body's support has stemmed from the drastic actions China has taken, despite the obvious impact to its citizens and economy.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Wednesday, February 12, 2020.
California-based Foria is making the case this Valentine's Day that sex, wellness, and cannabis belong together, according to Kiana Reeves, chief brand educator.
CEO Ronan Levy made comments regarding opportunities for psychedelics following a fundraise of $8.5 million by Field Trip.
World Health Organization's leader Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesys revealed the name of the disease currently afflicting China and other parts of the world: COVID-19 (a mashup of "Coronavirus Disease 2019).
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Show host Jenny Taft told Cheddar that the biggest event in canine competitions is a culmination of a dog's "whole life" of work to compete for Best in Show.
Geoffrey Colon and Aya Kikimova, Head of Brand Studio and Brand Studio at Microsoft Advertising, join Cheddar to discuss their new report that explores trends of the past and present that will impact the next decade.
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Check out the report [here](https://about.ads.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/post/january-2020/2020-vision-trends-to-define-the-next-decade).
Despite more businesses being owned by women and women of color, National Women's Business Council member Shelonda Stokes notes it's only the beginning of the story.
Howie D expounds on the "boy band" being together for 26 years and his work with BabyFirst on producing an album based on his own childhood experiences.
