News

The Yanny or Laurel clip is dividing people even more than 'the dress'

The Yanny or Laurel clip is dividing people even more than 'the dress'

Remember that time when the internet was brought to a standstill over the colour of a dress? Well the latest online debate is even more obscure.

If you thought Brexit was contentious, just wait until you discover Yanny vs Laurel.

No, we haven’t gone mad. A recording of a computer-generated voice has been dividing communities and families the world over. People can’t agree whether the voice is saying “Yanny” or “Laurel”.

Listen for yourself here:

Which do you hear?

Google Trends shared that searches for Laurel are far above Yanny in every area of the United States. This doesn't necessarily mean more people are hearing Laurel, but it's still interesting that it's higher considering Yanny is winning the original poll on Instagram, where the clip was first shared.

We’re not exactly sure why people are hearing different words in the clip. Many people are pointing to the amplitude and frequency of the clip, as well as the speaker used to play the audio.

It's likely that people hearing Yanny are using speakers that do not reproduce low frequencies well, such as the speaker on an iPhone. But turn the volume up and play it on a set of speakers that replicate bass better, and you may find yourself on team Laurel.

Here are some of the funniest reactions.

More: If you can hear this 'silent gif' it means you're special

The Conversation (0)
x