*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).
Amazon is joining forces with Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase to bring their employees better and cheaper healthcare. Facebook is changing its News Feed yet again to focus on local news sources. Music legend Linda Perry joins us to discuss her new campaign highlighting independent artists. Plus, we hear from the founder and CEO of Pymetrics, a company that uses artificial intelligence to match people with the right job.
Dr. Frida Polli, founder and CEO of Pymetrics, explains how her website is helping people find their dream jobs. Pymetrics uses A.I. and machine learning to match people with jobs.
Castmembers from the new thriller "Summer of '84" discuss their movie. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and stars actors Tiera Skovbye, Graham Verchere, Cory Gruter-Andrew, and Caleb Emery.
Music legend Linda Perry, who has written songs for Christina Aguilera, Pink, and Gwen Stefani, discusses streaming royalties and Intuit Quickbooks' new "Backing You" campaign. Perry is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
The writer who's worked with greats from Christina Aguilera to Alicia Keys contrasts the new medium to the old days when songs had a limited distribution. Now, she says, "your songs are all over the place, and you're making less money."
Axios recently published a National Security Council memo considering the possibility of a national 5G network. Since that report was published Sunday, the Trump administration responded saying it has no current plans to nationalize a 5G network, according to Recode. New York's Attorney General is investigating a company selling fake followers. Elon Musk is selling flamethrowers. Reuters is reported banned from the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony.
"Night Comes On" features a strong female protagonist who had to find her strength, and was written and directed by women who have done the same. Cheddar's Alyssa Julya Smith speaks with the director, and actress of the film from the Sundance Film Festival.
TBS is getting a new intergalactic comedy on February 26th. Cheddar's Alyssa Julya Smith got a sneak peek at the show, and the creators behind "Final Space."
"The Healing Self" explores ways to protect, and boost your immune system for life-long health. Co-authors Deepak Chopra and Rudolph Tanzi share their advice for a healthier lifestyle.
Bruno Mars was the biggest winner at Sunday night's Grammy Awards. The artist sweeping the top categories of the night including album, record, and song of the year. Entertainment Weekly Correspondent Madison Vain explains the biggest moments of the night, and some ways the Recording Academy may have missed the mark.
