But the simple Vulcan salute left makers of the new Star Trek film with a galactic-sized headache – because Mr Spock just couldn’t do it.

After much head-scratching, experts on the $150 million blockbuster – which boasts stunning high-tech effects – hit upon a low-tech but logical solution – gluing actor Zachary Quinto’s fingers together, The Mail on Sunday newspaper in the UK reports.

Quinto, 31, admitted he found it impossible to form his fingers into the distinctive V-shaped gesture, saying: “It’s much harder than it looks. Seriously.”

No, Zach, it isn’t much harder than it looks. Seriously.

Shatner couldn’t do it either, and he opted for fishing line to hold his fingers together. He gets a little bit of a pass, seeing as his character was a human (and thus maybe not expected to be able to do the Vulcan greeting 100% correctly), but a person playing a Vulcan who can’t do it? Wouldn’t that be like making a movie about Lance Armstrong and casting someone to play him that is incapable of riding a bicycle? Will Zach be gluing his fingers together at Star Trek conventions too? You know they will be making appearances, and it’s going to be a little odd if the Vulcan can’t do the standard Vulcan greeting.

Also, I have been rethinking my rethinking of the new Star Trek movie, and I believe I have finally decided that I totally hated everything about it except the cool effects and explosions. Expect a detailed rant about it sometime in the near future. I’m too busy today to let my inner Star Trek geek out to play.