The Big Bang Theory just set up a $4million scholarship fund for young scientists

The Big Bang Theory made its name by giving us a bunch of brilliant, eccentric scientists to love - and now the show is helping create the next generation of real-life Sheldons and Leonards.

The cast and crew of the sitcom have set up a scholarship fund to support undergraduates from low-income backgrounds studying science, technology, engineering and maths.

Although the show is set at Caltech, the fund is sponsoring students at the rival University of California Los Angeles, where one of the stars of the show, Mayim Bialik, earned a PhD in neuroscience in 2007.

There's already $4million (£2.6million) in the fund, which was kick-started with a donation from producer Chuck Lorre.

Lorre called the scholarship a “natural evolution” in the history of the show, which has just finished its eighth series.

When we first discussed it, we realised that when Big Bang started, this freshman class were 10-years-old... Some of them grew up watching the show, and maybe the show had influence on some of them choosing to pursue science as a lifetime goal. Wouldn’t it be great if we can help.

We have all been given a gift with The Big Bang Theory, a show that's not only based in the scientific community, but also enthusiastically supported by that same community - this is our opportunity to give back.

The first 20 scholars will be announced in the autumn before they take up their studies and the fund will support five students a year every year in perpetuity.

Good on you, guys.

Quiz: [Which character from The Big Bang Theory are you?]1

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