CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net loss attributable to BioTime, Inc.	$ (16,515,500)	$ (11,184,618)	$ (5,144,499)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss attributable to BioTime, Inc to net cash used in operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization of capital leased assets	373,349	138,659	34,591
Loss on sale or write-off of equipment	6,416	993	1,159
Write off of security deposit	2,443	0	0
Write off of expired inventory	1,510	4,008	0
Bad debt expense	100,230	0	2,538
Reclassification of licensing fees expensed in prior year	0	0	(10,000)
Amortization of intangible assets	1,991,200	790,117	0
Amortization of deferred consulting fees	598,465	520,212	102,059
Amortization of deferred license fees	109,500	227,167	0
Amortization of deferred finance cost on lines of credit	0	0	782,542
Amortization of deferred rent	71,118	21,029	(3,339)
Amortization of deferred royalty fees	1,982	0	0
Amortization of deferred license revenues	(234,781)	(292,904)	(292,904)
Amortization of deferred grant revenues	0	(1,620)	(20,000)
Stock-based compensation	1,217,522	638,709	260,840
Options issued as independent director compensation	584,891	455,022	227,724
Stock appreciation rights compensation liability	0	0	(483,688)
Warrants issued for outside services	0	0	93,304
Warrants issued for exchange offer interest expense	0	0	190,845
Modification cost of warrants	0	2,142,201	0
Beneficial conversion feature on notes and interest	0	0	304,400
Share in net loss of associated company	0	258,493	0
Net (loss)/income allocable to noncontrolling interest	(1,928,383)	(1,002,589)	590
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable, net	(120,678)	(77,907)	(349)
Grant receivable	261,777	(256,714)	0
Inventory	31,094	(11,094)	(38,384)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	(706,836)	(392,820)	(146,200)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	600,398	254,090	(419,456)
Interest on lines of credit	0	0	(40,108)
Other long term liabilities	(39,633)	0	0
Deferred revenues	0	36,682	75,000
Deferred grant revenues	0	0	263,397
Net cash used in operating activities	(13,593,916)	(7,732,884)	(4,259,938)
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Payments of license fees	(1,500)	(215,000)	0
Purchase of equipment	(960,281)	(220,771)	(61,276)
Cash paid, net of cash acquired for CTI assets	(246,850)	0	0
Cash acquired in connection with merger with Glycosan	5,908	0	0
Cash acquired, net of cash paid for Cell Cure Neurosciences shares	0	3,733,110	0
Note and related interest accrued converted to Cell Cure Neurosciences shares	0	(252,608)	0
Cash acquired, net of cash paid for acquisition of ESI	0	142,766	0
Cash proceeds from sale of equipment	0	6,000	0
Security deposit received/(paid)	10	3,922	15,050
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	(1,202,713)	3,197,419	(46,226)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Repayments of lines of credit	0	0	(263,825)
Borrowings under lines of credit	0	0	2,310,000
Deferred debt cost	0	0	(28,000)
Proceeds from exercises of stock options	223,914	605,998	848,449
Proceeds from exercises of warrants	425,000	22,861,458	1,616,342
Proceeds from issuance of common shares	0	0	8,000,000
Proceeds from sale of common shares of subsidiary	3,213,500	2,300,000	4,000,000
Net cash provided by financing activities	3,862,414	25,767,456	16,482,966
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(178,812)	(96,148)	0
NET CHANGE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	(11,113,027)	21,135,843	12,176,802
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:
At beginning of year	22,211,897	33,324,924	12,189,081
At end of year	22,211,897	33,324,924	12,189,081
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Cash paid during year for interest	326	1,315	415,330
SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULE OF NONCASH FINANCING AND INVESTING ACTIVITIES :
Common shares issued in connection with investment in subsidiary (Treasury shares)	6,000,000	0	0
Common shares issued in connection with the purchase of assets from CTI	2,300,000	0	0
Common shares issued as part of merger with Glycosan	2,600,000	0	0
Common shares issued as part of acquisition of ESI	0	11,011,864	0
Common shares issued for conversion of line of credit and accrued interest	0	0	4,134,424
Common shares issued for new loans and extension of line of credit	0	0	304,181
Common shares issued for accounts payable	0	0	229,500
Common shares issued for deferred license fees	0	0	120,000
Common shares retired for exercise of options		249,979	0
Warrants issued as part of merger with Glycosan	954,879	0	0
Warrants issued as part of acquisition of ESI	0	1,778,727	0
Warrants issued for services	0	1,979,037	0
Warrants issued for line of credit	0	0	398,548
Rights to exchange promissory notes for stock feature on notes payable	$ 0	$ 0	$ 304,400