MIT scientists have found a clever new way to make bacteria send out signals that can be seen from far away—up to 90 meters.
These tiny organisms could be used in the future to monitor pollution, detect chemicals in soil, or even help with farming, all without needing a microscope.
Usually, when scientists engineer bacteria to detect certain molecules—like pollutants or nutrients—they make them glow under a microscope.
But that approach doesn’t work well outside the lab, especially when you want to scan large areas like farmland or forests.
Now, MIT engineers, led by Professor Christopher Voigt, have created a new method that allows bacteria to produce special light-emitting molecules that can be seen using hyperspectral cameras.
These cameras don’t just capture color like red or green—they detect hundreds of shades of light, including invisible parts of the spectrum like infrared. That means the bacteria’s signals can be picked up using drones or even satellites.
The team’s results were published in Nature Biotechnology. In their study, they engineered two types of bacteria to produce light in very specific patterns.
Each pattern acts like a fingerprint, making it easier for cameras to identify. The researchers linked these light-producing molecules to genetic circuits that respond when the bacteria sense something—such as nearby bacteria or pollutants like arsenic.
To find the best molecules for the job, the researchers ran computer simulations on 20,000 natural compounds. They searched for those that produced the most unique light patterns and required only a few enzymes to be made inside the cell. This makes it easier to program the bacteria.
For one soil-based bacterium, Pseudomonas putida, the researchers used a molecule called biliverdin, which is a green pigment formed when blood breaks down. For an aquatic bacterium, Rubrivivax gelatinosus, they used a pigment similar to the ones found in certain photosynthetic bacteria.
The researchers tested their bacteria in small containers placed outdoors in various environments, including rooftops and deserts. Drones equipped with hyperspectral cameras scanned the area and picked up the bacteria’s signals in under 30 seconds. The goal is to extend the detection distance even further.
This technology could be useful for many real-world applications, such as checking soil nutrient levels for farming, monitoring pollution, or even detecting landmines. In the future, it could be adapted to work inside plant cells too.
Before these bacteria can be used out in the world, they need to pass strict safety checks and get approval from government agencies like the EPA and the USDA. The MIT team is already working closely with these groups to make sure everything is done safely and responsibly.
As Voigt explains, this is a new way to let cells talk to us—from a distance.
