Yanny or Laurel? 'The World Needs to Know' as Audio Clip Dilemma Blasts Internet

Listen carefully because a new vicious debate is tearing the internet apart and now it is over the content of a very short audio recording.

First it was the great dress debate and then it was the color of a pair of flip-flops that kept people all over the world awake at night, typing away in online arguments over the 'right' answer.

READ MORE: The Great Dress Debate is Back With a Vengeance (And Flip-Flops)

There has now been a shift from the optical illusion quandary to an auditory one. An audio clip featuring a voice repeating one word is being shared on social media, with users both asking answering one question — 'what do you hear?'

Opinions have largely divided over the 'Yanny vs Laurel' issue, which has also triggered volumes of irony and memes online. 

LAUREL OR YANNY?

I HEAR LAUREL 😂 pic.twitter.com/oIQOZFIMdN

— Jack Bruley (@JackBruley) May 16, 2018​

What do you hear?! Yanny or Laurel pic.twitter.com/jvHhCbMc8I

— Cloe Feldman (@CloeCouture) May 15, 2018​

i just hear the ocean #yannyorlaurel pic.twitter.com/fVZo8Vd0JF

— Ron (@RonVerheijen) May 16, 2018​

There must be something wrong with mine because I definitely can't hear Yanny or Laurel pic.twitter.com/Nz7jPnT9bu

— Adam Kanzen (@adamkanzen) May 16, 2018​

what do you hear laurel or yanny? this clip breaks it down and you finally get to hear the truth pic.twitter.com/cf3pdFjqDh

— Alex Ernst 2 (@AlexErnst2) May 16, 2018​

The Yanny vs Laurel audio clip has me SHOOK. At first all I heard was Yanny, then I could hear either Yanny or Laurel if I trained my ears right, and now all I can hear is Laurel. pic.twitter.com/adhjFJTVTO

— Andy Herren (@AndyHerren) May 15, 2018​

If you wanted to know whether I hear Yanny or Laurel here's your answer. 😎☕️ pic.twitter.com/xnrIby2kmd

— Kyle MacLachlan (@Kyle_MacLachlan) May 15, 2018​

Does this dress say Yanny or Laurel pic.twitter.com/4dN2BwIIjp

— Eric Rosenthal (@ericsports) May 16, 2018​

Yanny or laurel got us like pic.twitter.com/B6BCGrXVFl

— Hannah Barker (@hrbarker) May 16, 2018​

#YannyVsLaurel #yanny #laurel #yannyorlaurel #laureloryanny #laurelvsyanny

Me: I think it's #Laurel

Wife: Nope, it's #Hardy

Me: pic.twitter.com/Q0sgkaQeUx

— The Invisible Man (@invisibleman_17) May 16, 2018​

I asked my mom if she hears Yanny or laurel and she says “jimmy” pic.twitter.com/S7Wcw3QPc5

— Valdez (@brendaaraceli) May 16, 2018​

IF YOU DON'T HEAR YANNY, YOU'RE NOT A HUMAN BEING AND YOU WILL SOON BE EXPOSED FOR BEING PART OF THE LAUREL CONSPIRACY! #yannyorlaurel pic.twitter.com/riDB0VRB1u

— MIKE KRAMER (@BlexClex) May 16, 2018​

This is the kinda stuff that starts wars.

— Alex (@AlexWelke) May 16, 2018​

Ok it says Yanny the first couple time it played but then it started saying Laurel

— Mendes And Army (@Mendes_And_Army) May 16, 2018​