Barack Obama recently threw up the Vulcan salute at the White House while posing with original Star Trek cast member Nichelle Nichols, who put the photo up on Twitpic.

"Months ago Pres Obama was quoted as saying that he'd had a crush on me when he was younger. I asked about that & he proudly confirmed it!" she said on Twitter.

Obama revealed himself as a serious Trek fan back in 2008, when he was overheard teasing his wife, Michelle, for wearing a belt that looked like it was studded with "dilithium crystals."

The President has also flashed the Vulcan salute at Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy.

[thr]

Leonard Nimoy tweeted this set photo from The Big Bang Theory, showing the first-ever meeting of Mr. Spock and Star Trek uberfan Dr. Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons).

After five years of trying to land Nimoy as a guest star, Big Bang Theory co-creator Chuck Lorre says, "He finally gave up. We caught him."

Nimoy will haunt Sheldon's dreams in an episode entitled "The Transporter Malfunction," which airs on Thursday, March 29th.

[tvline]