Yanny? Laurel? What’s the deal?

Yanny or Laurel? It's your brain not your ears that decides [Click here to view this message in your web-browser](. Edition: US 17 May 2018 [[The Conversation]Academic rigor, journalistic flair]( Editor's note Have you listened to the audio clip that has social media in a tizzy? How can a single soundbite be heard as two totally different words – Yanny or Laurel – depending on who’s doing the listening? Case Western Reserve University’s Jennell Vick describes the [quirks of the human auditory system]( that explain this tricky phenomenon. As the writing world says farewell to the late Tom Wolfe, Boston University journalism professor William McKeen [discusses what made him a pioneer of a new writing style](, a thorn in the side of the literary establishment, and ultimately a towering figure of American letters. And, if you’re looking forward to even faster mobile internet, Jan Rabaey at the University of California, Berkeley, explains the [hoopla around 5G]( and how it’s different from 3G and 4G. Last, a request. The Conversation is conducting a brief survey of our readers to find out more about who you are, what you like about us and where we can improve.[Please give us your feedback](. Maggie Villiger Science + Technology Editor Top stories You heard it say what? Roman Stetsyk/Shutterstock.com [Yanny or Laurel? It's your brain not your ears that decides]( Jennell Vick, Case Western Reserve University Where you come down on the latest internet hullabaloo depends on how your brain fills in gaps in the sounds you hear. Tom Wolfe, in 2010, fired up and holding forth. AP Photo/Tina Fineberg [Tom Wolfe elevated journalism into enduring literature]( William McKeen, Boston University A journalism scholar and biographer of Tom Wolfe looks back at a literary great's life of challenging cultural standards. How fast will mobile data get? alphaspirit/Shutterstock.com [What is all the fuss about 5G?]( Jan Rabaey, University of California, Berkeley In this Speed Read, learn the difference between 3G, 4G and 5G, and why it matters. Health + Medicine - [Diet soda may be hurting your diet]( Eunice Zhang, University of Michigan Mounting evidence suggests that artificial sweeteners are linked to chronic health problems like obesity and diabetes. Should there be a tax on these foods? Politics + Society - [The Iran nuclear deal could still be saved, experts say]( Jaganath Sankaran, University of Maryland; Steve Fetter, University of Maryland It would be a heavy lift, but revising the Iran nuclear deal would have some significant upsides, according to scholars at the University of Maryland. - [Donald Glover and the state of 'black genius']( Phillip L. Cunningham, Quinnipiac University Glover and hip-hop are reaching their apex at the same time, giving Glover an avenue to enter the ranks of creative geniuses. But does his race matter? Ethics + Religion - [A peek into the lives of Puerto Rican Muslims and what Ramadan means post Hurricane Maria]( Ken Chitwood, University of Florida A scholar talks to Muslims in Puerto Rico and comes back with an understanding of their rich history and their struggles. Education - [Why America needs a new approach to school desegregation]( Jerry Rosiek, University of Oregon Better funding, integrated neighborhoods and a diverse teacher workforce are among the things needed to dismantle a long-standing racially segregated school system, a scholar argues. Arts + Culture - [In the US, fairy-tale royal weddings clash with reality]( Laurie Essig, Middlebury College Royal weddings have shaped how Americans imagine their own dream weddings. Unfortunately, they don't come cheap – which might explain why fewer and fewer are tying the knot. Trending on site - [The next big discovery in astronomy? Scientists probably found it years ago – but they don't know it yet]( Eileen Meyer, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Astronomers are gathering an exponentially greater amount of data every day – so much that it will take years to uncover all the hidden signals buried in the archives. - [A hangover pill? Tests on drunk mice show promise]( Yunfeng Lu, University of California, Los Angeles A new pill may lower blood alcohol levels, helping a hangover and preventing alcohol overdose deaths. - [Should I kill spiders in my home? An entomologist explains why not to]( Matt Bertone, North Carolina State University This Speed Read makes the case why you should be nice to spiders you encounter in your home and consider a live-and-let-live policy. Today’s quote [“Movies from the 1930s show how far back perverse values go, and how integral they were to Hollywood’s imagining of women’s lives.”]( [#MeToo on the 1930s silver screen]( Marsha Gordon North Carolina State University [Marsha Gordon] [Follow us on Twitter.]( [Join us on Facebook.]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe instantly](. We’ll miss you. 89 South Street - Suite 202 Boston, MA 02111