People Are Divided Over Whether This Clip Says Laurel Or Yanny

The year is 2015: Sepp Blatter has stepped down as FIFA President, Cuba and America have become friends after a 54-year feud and 195 nations came together to sign the Paris Climate Accord. But it was also the year that everyone was absolutely divided over whether a dress posted on the internet was black and blue or white and gold.

Well, ladies and gentlemen - three years after that simple picture baffled the internet, we have a new addition to the stuff that blows our minds.

YouTuber Cloe Feldman has uploaded a simple four second audio track to social media, asking people whether they hear the word 'Laurel' or 'Yanny' - which is spoken by a male-sounding robot.

In a little more than a day, it's racked up close to eight million plays and tens of thousands of people are split over what can be heard.

Some profess that they once heard one and now they hear the other, whereas others, like me, can only hear one thing. (Ps, it's Laurel and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying).

I have this theory that it's 100 percent, undeniably Laurel and in some worldwide conspiracy, half the world with an internet connection got sent an email encouraging people to just say it's Yanny for the lols.

Now, if you think this is some weird social media craze that only millennials with too much time on their hands are discussing, this debate is being shared by some big-name people.

A few people have uploaded videos showing that if you change the pitch or the bass, it can alter whether you hear Yanny or Laurel - but alas, I still hear the same thing.

The Independent reckons it had cracked the case by saying that in the recording, Laurel and Yanny has been laid on the top of each other and your brain simply chooses which one to hear.

Laurel is very low pitched, while Yanny is the opposite, which is why people are so divided over the recording.

However, according to the person who first posted the clip, the recording comes from the vocabulary.com pronunciation of 'laurel' - with the audio becoming distorted due to being recorded through speakers.

Shockingly, I decided to listen to the soundbite seemingly for the millionth time but this time the volume was really low. My mind was well and truly blown when Yanny started to take shape.

Well, this has been a wild ride.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Viral, Internet, Funny, Interesting, Social Media, Community

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

@stewartperrie