Llowlab : sun, super acts and science

For the third year in a row Lowlands, one of the biggest music festivals in the Netherlands, has put on a scientific fringe programme. While on the main stage Foo Fighters, The Kyteman Orchestra and Triggerfinger captivated the audience, a number of universities – including the University of Groningen – presented cutting-edge science at Llowlab.

Groningen’s contribution focused on nanoscience, and included research into plastic solar cells by Prof. Kees Hummelen. He recently published his research on harvesting feeble photons and on how plastic solar cells on a laptop bag could power your laptop.

Lowlands was sold out with over fifty thousand people attending the three-day festival (17-19 August). Although music is the main dish served up at Lowlands, the line-up traditionally also includes theatre, art and political debate.