# The spoon illusion: A consistent rearward bias in human sound localisation

## TL;DR

Humans often mislocalize the source of a sound, perceiving it as coming from behind when it's actually in front.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel auditory illusion using spoons to reveal a consistent rearward bias in human sound localization.

## Key findings

- Blindfolded participants mislocalized spoon sounds as coming from behind.
- The rearward bias was consistent across multiple trials and participants.
- The illusion suggests limitations in auditory spatial perception.

## Abstract

Most humans have only two ears. To know where a sound is in external space, our auditory system must therefore rely on the limited information received by these ears alone. In an adventurous late-night attempt to test blindfolded humans’ ability to achieve this feat, we discovered that we mishear the sound of two spoons being hit right in front of us as coming from behind us.