The gentle fluorescent glow displayed by these Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings mark an engineered communication between plant and microbe. Using synthetic biology techniques, the Voigt Lab engineered soil bacteria to convey environmental information about plants, such as the presence of essential nutrients, potential pathogens, or pollutants. Using bacteria as messengers may help manage soil health, optimize resource use, and prevent crop loss with precise, real-time data for smarter agriculture.