*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).
Companies from every sector of the economy are celebrating Pride this month with rainbow logos, LGBTQ-themed marketing campaigns, and new product launches. Yet branding experts note that simply acknowledging Pride in June can undermine a corporate brand as well as undercut the fundamental message of Pride, which is rooted in human rights and celebrating a community that has long been discriminated against.
Smirnoff Vodka is hoping to welcome the thousands of visitors from around the world that are expected to travel to New York City this weekend for the World Pride parade with its latest Pride marketing campaign.
Musician, actor, and activist Janelle Monáe joined Cheddar to discuss the venture, which began last year, called "A Beautiful Future," involving a coordinated limited edition bottle, a social media campaign, and a video series led by female directors.
June is the first Pride month for the 116th Congress, which includes 10 openly gay politicians — the most in the nation’s history. From hometown parades to policy speeches, members of Congress are marking the celebratory month and using the occasion to push for equality legislation.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, June 24, 2019.
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Three years since the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) is working to strengthen the government's ability to track violence against the LGBTQ community in an effort to combat the enduring epidemic.
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the annual advertising event that held from June 17 to 21 - celebrates the top marketing work of the year, and many of the winners championed causes beyond selling items.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Thursday, June 20, 2019.
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