This. Is. AWESOME!!!

That is a model of the USS Enterprise-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation, created using an ion beam that guides vaporized chemicals and deposits them into a given shape. The amazing thing is that this model of the Big Little-E is only 8.8 microns (millionths of a meter) long! For comparison, a human hair is about 50-100 microns across. This image is magnified 5000 times. I wonder if it comes with a tiny Wil Wheaton, too?

Tip o' the VISOR to Digg.