How do our ears know sounds are coming from a specific direction?

Question

I have a right and left ear, so I get how I can tell if a sound comes from my right or left. How can my 2 ears tell me if a sound is coming from in front of me, behind me, above me or below me?

In: 2

Answer 1

Mostly context. But also, your ears can pick up subtle echos and reverberations from your surroundings helping your brain perceive the environment as a whole and pinpoint the source of the sound. *Very* slight delays can be registered subconsciously.