People are confused whether this audio clip says 'green needle,' 'brainstorm' or both

A TikTok video is making the rounds because it continues to make people question their own senses. In the video, a voice can be heard saying either the word "brainstorm" or the words "green needle."
What you hear depends on what you're thinking about when you read the screen.
So, if you play it while thinking "green needle," that's what you'll hear in the clip. The same goes for "brainstorm." Then, go back and forth between the two. It's a surreal experience.
Green Needle or Brainstorm?🤔 What Do You Hear?www.youtube.com
The video is a great reminder of how subjective our senses really are. It's a perfect example of how our minds have the power to interpret sensory data how it chooses, depending on our own internal biases.
It makes you wonder just how many things you see, smell, hear, taste, and feel that may not be what they seem. It also shows how two people can experience the same sensory data, interpret it completely differently, and not be wrong.
That's why two people can witness the same car accident and tell conflicting stories in court, while both people swear they are telling the truth.
"Basically, you are priming your brain to expect acoustic patterns that match expected patterns for a particular word," Valerie Hazan, a professor of speech sciences at University College London, said according to People.
"When faced with an acoustic signal which is somewhat ambiguous because it is low-quality or noise our brain attempts a 'best fit' between what is heard and the expected word," she added.
This video first appeared in 2018 after a toy review by YouTube creator DosmRider. The toy is from the Children's TV show "Ben 10 Alien Force" that features a character called Brainstorm.
Brainstorm is the Omnitrix's DNA sample of a Cerebrocrustacean from the planet Encephalonus IV. Whatever that means.
The viral phenomenon is similar to the "Yanny" versus "Laurel" debate that had the whole internet talking back in 2018.
According to The New York Times, people hear Laurel or Yanny based on the "frequency range" they pay attention to. So if someone tends to hear in the higher range of things, then they're going to hear "Yanny" rather than "Laurel."
These videos are another example of how the human psyche has a real problem with ambiguity, even if that means incorrectly interpreting sensory data. "The brain is built to turn messy signals into meaning," Dr. Kevin Franck, director of audiology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, told Time.
It "all comes down to the brain," he added. "The fact that brains go in one way and some brains go in the other means that we're all just wired a bit differently based on our experiences."
The clip also another reminder that even if someone sees things differently than we do, it's best to reserve some judgement or give them the benefit of the doubt. As research shows, two people can look at the same thing and get a totally different meaning.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.