💻 From Under the El
Big things are happening in Chicago. This week, we’re celebrating major new tech and science breakthroughs thanks to our local researchers. Plus, Chicago’s economy is in the national spotlight as a great place for businesses to call home. There are also some great community events this week worth stepping outside for. It’s Monday. Let’s dive into some good news.
⏰ tl;dr
Chicago labs just delivered big wins: a quantum jump in infrared tech and a fully biodegradable plastic that could end single-use bags
Chicagoland is America’s top metro for corporate relocation, with expanding businesses bringing an estimated 20,000 new jobs to the area in 2025
Get your groove on and chow down for good causes at a Val’s Halla Records benefit and a Nando’s fundraiser this week
🌻 What’s Going Right In Chicago Today
🔬 Chicago scientists boost infrared power 100x
A discovery by UChicago researchers could make life-saving medical sensors dramatically cheaper and more accessible.
Scientists at the University of Chicago have taken what was once cutting-edge physics and turned it into something that could touch everyday lives. Using a new “quantum dot” technique, researchers have figured out how to make infrared LEDs far more efficient: about 100 times better than before. Their discovery could transform medical imaging and low-light cameras by slashing costs and boosting performance.
The performance was really quite good right away — it was striking.
The breakthrough centers on tiny nanocrystals — quantum dots — that behave like tunable energy windows. By engineering how these dots interact with light, the team pushed the boundaries of how much infrared light you can get out of a semiconductor. That means faster, cheaper sensors for everything from heart monitors to industrial machines.
🏗 Chicago is No. 1 in the nation for business expansion
Corporate relocations meaningfully boost jobs and wages across the region.
Chicagoland was named the top U.S. metro for corporate relocation, expansion, and new facility investment, bringing in approximately 19,600 new jobs and $1.7 billion in local earnings in 2025.
“Chicago’s continued leadership in corporate relocation and expansion reflects the strengths our city has built over generations. From manufacturing and freight to transportation and global logistics, we have long served as the backbone of American commerce.”
Companies are choosing Chicago thanks to our massive talent pool and vibrant business ecosystem. With job growth spanning tech, manufacturing, logistics, and professional services, this momentum ripples out into neighborhoods, local hiring pipelines, and small business opportunity.
Image credit: UIC
🌿 Chicago engineers create a biodegradable plastic alternative to replace single-use bags
A plant-based plastic that actually degrades could replace single-use bags across the city’s shops.
Engineers at the University of Illinois Chicago have engineered a fully biodegradable, plant-based plastic that’s ready to replace traditional shopping bags right now. Whether you care more about clogging landfills with single-use plastic or the grocery bag tax that just increased to 15 cents per bag, this is good news.
The new bioplastic breaks down much faster and is made from renewable sources instead of fossil fuels, so it could cut down a huge chunk of everyday plastic waste. It’s promising not just for grocery bags, but a whole world of packaging that fills landfills and waterways and breaks down into microplastics that pollute our food sources (and our bodies).
Developing alternatives that are renewable, biodegradable and lower in environmental impact is becoming essential for advancing a more sustainable, circular materials economy.
Chicago could become a flagship city for adopting this material, giving both consumers and retailers an eco-friendly alternative — innovation you can carry home (literally).
🗓️ Eye On the Chi
Benefit Show at Val’s Halla Records
A night of music, with all proceeds benefitting ICIRR and immigrant communities.
When: March 7, 8 p.m.
Where: Val’s Halla Records
Nando’s Fundraiser for EveryMom Chicago
For one night only, Nando’s on 53rd Street will donate 40% of proceeds to EveryMom Chicago.
When: March 5, 4-8 p.m.
Where: 1447 E 53rd St.
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Till next time,
Good News, Chicago
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