In the developed world, we take electric light for granted. But more than a billion people on the planet live without it. That’s why Danish researcher Fredrik Krebs created a cheap, printable solar panel and flexible LED light combo. The as-yet-unnamed lamp has a printed solar panel on one side and an LED panel on the other. During the day, the panel lays flat to soak up the sun’s energy. At night, the flexible lamp can be curled into a cone to make a simple lamp.

The lamp’s current solar panels only operate at 1 percent efficiency, but they still collect enough power to run the lamp. The lamps are made to last for a year and will cost $7 (or less) each by the time they go into production.

Something as simple as a solar-powered lamp can make a huge difference in remote villages or towns that have no or intermittent power. With such a cheap light source, teens around the world can read comics and Sci-Fi novels late into the night. Or, you know, study math and science.

Link to Popsci article