*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).
Cheddar is dedicating the day to celebrating women, and we're calling it "Chedher"! We have special co-hosts and interviews from women in sports, tech, business, politics and more.
The co-host this hour is journalist Alicia Quarles.
Cheddar is dedicating the day to celebrating women, and we're calling it "Chedher"! We have special co-hosts and interviews from women in sports, tech, business, politics and more.
The co-host this hour is journalism professor and fellow at the nation institute Tanzina Vega.
Array executive director Tilane Jones talks rising to the top of her field alongside friend and colleague Ava DuVernay. Jones sits down with Alyssa Julya Smith in Los Angeles to discuss the pair's 10 year working relationship and what they have done together during that time.
Meghan Ritchie and Tiffany Zhong turned their passions into careers. The two young entrepreneurs join Cheddar to give advice and perspective on how to lead and grow as a female inventor and trail blazer.
87% of the seller community on Etsy is comprised of women. The online marketplace is proud of its role in supporting and launching the businesses of women around the world.
Elise has made it to the top of her field at one of the biggest women's lifestyle brands in the world, goop. She is the chief content officer and sits down with Alyssa Julya Smith to talk working with female executives and how the company ensure women are striking that work-life balance.
Elaine Paul has risen to the top of a predominantly male financial industry as the CFO of Hulu. She sits down with Alyssa Julya Smith in Los Angeles to talk about her impressive career.
Elizabeth Rutledge has spent over 25 years at American Express and just last week the powerhouse was named Chief Marketing Officer of American Express. Rutledge joins Cheddar to explain how she will add to the C Suite and why she is excited about the role.
She's been performing since she was 4 years old, always knowing that's what she wanted to do. Emma Kenney sits down with Alyssa Julya Smith in Los Angeles during a special chedHer broadcast to talk about her rise to fame and the pressures that go with it.
The statistics of women in executive levels are staggering. JPMorgan Chase's Chief Marketing Officer Kristin Lemkau explains how she is championing change within her company, and across the financial industry.
