Sheldon Cooper

A genius-level IQ of 187, but a fundamental lack of social skills and a tenuous understanding of humor.

Sheldon Lee Cooper, B.S., M.S., M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D., is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the 2007–2019 CBS television series The Big Bang Theory and the titular main protagonist of its 2017–2024 spinoff series Young Sheldon, portrayed by actors Jim Parsons and Iain Armitage respectively (with Parsons as the latter series' narrator). The adult Sheldon is a senior theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and for the first ten seasons shares an apartment with his colleague and best friend, Leonard Hofstadter.

He has a genius-level IQ of 187; however, he displays a fundamental lack of social skills, a tenuous understanding of humor, and difficulty recognizing irony and sarcasm in other people, although he himself often employs them. These characteristics provide the majority of the humor involving him, which are credited with making him the show's breakout character.

Quick Facts

Series: The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon
First major: The Big Bang Theory
First minor: Pilot
First date: September 24, 2007
Last major: Young Sheldon
Last minor: Memoir
Last date: May 16, 2024
Creator: Chuck Lorre; Bill Prady

Lore & Background

Sheldon and his fraternal twin sister, Missy, were born on February 26, 1980, at a Kmart in Galveston, Texas, and raised in Medford, a fictional small town in East Texas. His first word was 'hypotenuse'; he said this at age four. He was a child prodigy who entered college at the age of eleven, and at age fourteen he earned his first degree (a bachelor's). From then, he worked on his doctorate, was a visiting professor at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, was the youngest person at the time to receive the Stevenson Award, and has appeared on the cover of Journal of Physical Chemistry A. The only member of his family to have actively encouraged his work in science was his maternal grandfather, whom he cherished and affectionately called 'Pop-Pop', and who died when Sheldon was five years old.

His closest relative is his maternal grandmother whom he affectionately calls 'Meemaw', and who in turn calls him 'Moon Pie'.

Reader's Guide

Sheldon frequently states that he possesses an eidetic memory and an IQ of 187, although he claims his IQ cannot be accurately measured by normal tests. He possesses a mastery of various subjects such as physics, spectroscopy, chemistry, pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, zoology, microbiology, astronomy, cosmology, algebra, geometry, calculus, trigonometry, economics, computers, software engineering, robotics/cybernetics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, history, anthropology, geography, linguistics, cryptography, forensics, vexillology (he hosts a webshow called Fun With Flags) and railroad engineering.

He also shows great musical talent, knowing how to play the piano and the theremin and can sing with perfect pitch. He is uncomfortable with human physical contact and has mysophobia. He also has hemophobia and synesthesia, the latter being demonstrated when he described prime numbers as being red, twin primes as being pink and smelling like gasoline and Fudgesicles as tasting like the speed of light. In his mannerisms, Sheldon also shows symptoms associated with obsessive–compulsive personality disorder, as is suggested within the show itself by Amy in regard to how, whenever approaching the door of an occupied room, he must knock three times, then say the person's name, and must repeat this three times; this was revealed as a result of him seemingly walking in on his father with another woman when he was thirteen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Sheldon Cooper?

Sheldon Lee Cooper is a brilliant theoretical physicist from Galveston, Texas, who works at Caltech and serves as the show's central protagonist. He is defined by his exceptional intellect, rigid daily routines, and initial inability to understand social cues.