Every so often, someone on the internet will discover an illusion that sends people into a total meltdown — like that famous Tumblr dress that was either blue or gold, or that mind-bending audio clip that either said "laurel" or "yanny."
Well, a new illusion is now going viral on TikTok, and people are losing their damn minds over it. Y'all ready for this???
In the TikTok below, a man's voice either says "brainstorm" or "green needle," depending on which phrase you decide to read on the screen. Don't believe me? Try it for yourself! Watch the video a few times, and change the word you read with each viewing. The audio will seemingly change, too:
The TikTok, uploaded by user @emilysophie.m, has gone massively viral on the platform, amassing 5 million views in just a few days. People think it's pretty damn freaky:
Some are calling the effect "witchcraft" and "devil magic":
Others are demanding an explanation for the phenomenon:
And, of course, a few people just had jokes:
It's worth noting that this is actually not the first time the "brainstorm/green needle" illusion has captured the internet's attention — two years ago, long before TikTok reigned supreme, the very same audio clip went viral on Twitter:
Think the Laurel or Yanny thing is weird? You can hear the words ‘Brainstorm’ or ‘Green Needle’ based on which word you think about. Try it.
(And in case you're wondering, the mysterious audio actually originates from a toy review posted by YouTuber Dosmrider back in 2014. The toy is supposed to be saying "brainstorm," and the "green needle" effect is unintended.)
