April 20th 2024.
Have you heard about the latest phenomenon causing a divide in our nation? It's not the infamous 'the dress' or the Yanny vs Laurel debate, but rather a new audio illusion that has people hearing two completely different things. In a video posted on TikTok and Instagram, 37-year-old Sheri Scott, a digital creator originally from Glasgow but now living in Margate, shared a wholesome interaction she had with a passerby while showing off her outfit to her followers.
As Sheri was out and about in Ramsgate, a stranger shared their thoughts on her look, which she found quite amusing. "I laughed and they went on their merry way," Sheri tells The Agency. "It was a wholesome interaction for a cockney old geezer!" However, when she posted the clip on social media, she was surprised by the mixed reactions to her subtitling. While she heard the man say "you look the bollocks," others claimed to hear "you look divine."
The post quickly gained popularity, with over 435,000 likes and numerous comments from people sharing their opinions. Some were convinced the man said "divine," while others, like @fahadmccannysee and @seek_a_new_, were sure it was "bollocks." There were also some who were undecided, like @agnesdiy, who said she could hear both depending on what she focused on.
Sheri stands by her initial interpretation and understands why there is confusion. "I've only heard divine once when my phone was on low volume and half way across the room, which is too many stipulations in my book to say I actually hear it," she explains. "He 100% said bollocks. I was there. I heard it first hand and there is no way the word divine came out of that man's mouth!"
But why is it that people are hearing different things from the same audio? According to University College London Professor Valerie Hazan, it could be due to the pitch and bass of the sound, as well as individual hearing abilities. "Sometimes a small change in the acoustic pattern of a word can cause a person's perception to switch without explanation," she tells Huffington Post. "Our ears and brain may have latched onto a different acoustic pattern than the one they were previously latching onto."
So, there you have it - confirmation from the primary source that the man did indeed say "bollocks." But for those who are still convinced they heard "divine," there may be a scientific explanation behind it all. The F1 frequency band, which includes sounds like D, B, L, and V, could be causing the confusion and making people hear different things at different times.
Do you have a similar story to share? We would love to hear it! Get in touch by emailing us at email. Who knows, maybe you'll be the next viral sensation with a perplexing audio illusion.
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[Generative AI is experimental.]
