Invisibilia premieres its ninth season

Invisibilia is back! Hosted by Yowei Shaw and Kia Miakka Natisse, this season will focus on what it means to search for control in a time of upheaval. Listeners will hear a comic and a dominatrix face off to solve a power problem; a thought experiment on maintaining control of your body in a post-Roe America; a community contending with the ghosts of their past; and South Africa’s first Black freediving instructor on what might be the antithesis of control – freedom.

The season will launch on September 9, with new episodes every Friday. You can listen to the trailer here.

“This past year, it feels like we’re constantly having to walk this tightrope,” said Shaw. “We have to find ways to cope with everything out of our control, while also reminding ourselves what is in our control. It’s exhausting. So our team decided to look into the idea of control – the narratives and assumptions we have about it, and the small ways in which we can reclaim control – over our bodies, our time, and our destinies.”

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“There’s a bit of irony in doing a season about control at a moment in history when it feels like we’re losing it,” said Natisse. “But all the more reason to try to understand it, seeking out stories that can help us figure out what’s in our control, and what’s not.”

“Invisibilia has made a name for itself by artfully exploring science-backed stories that reframe how we understand and move through the world,” said Anya Grundmann, NPR’s SVP for Programming and Audience Development. “The desire for control – an unseen force that drives so much of our experience – is a perfect and timely subject for the show’s ninth season.”

About Invisibilia

Unseeable forces control human behavior and shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. Invisibilia—Latin for invisible things—fuses narrative storytelling with science that will make you see your own life differently.

About NPR

NPR’s rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling that connects with millions of Americans every day — on the air, online, and in-person. NPR strives to create a more informed public — one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. With a nationwide network of award-winning journalists and 17 international bureaus, NPR and its Member Stations are never far from where a story is unfolding. Listeners can find NPR by tuning in to their local Member stations (npr.org/stations), and now it’s easy to listen to our stories on smart speaker devices. Ask your smart speaker to, “Play NPR,” and you’ll be tuned into your local Member station’s live stream. Your speaker can also access NPR podcasts, NPR One, NPR News Now, and the Visual Newscast is available for screened speakers. Get more information at npr.org/about and by following NPR Extra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.