Organization, Basis of Presentation, and Summary of Select Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable	$ 478,000			$ 395,000
Grants receivable	699,000			1,059,000
Allowance for doubtful accounts	116,816			116,816
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Foreign currency translation gain	148,437		124,089
Foreign currency transaction loss	$ 21,977		$ 95,799
Stock Options [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from computation of diluted loss per share (in shares)	4,771,301		3,438,594
Warrants [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Anti-dilutive shares excluded from computation of diluted loss per share (in shares)	816,612		636,613
Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Equipment useful life	36 months
Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Equipment useful life	120 months
ReCyte Therapeutics, Inc. [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	95.00%
OncoCyte Corporation [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	75.30%
OrthoCyte Corporation [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	100.00%
ES Cell International Pte., Ltd. [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	100.00%
BioTime Asia, Limited [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	81.00%
Cell Cure Neurosciences, Ltd. [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	62.50%
LifeMap Sciences, Inc. [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	73.20%
LifeMap Sciences, Ltd. [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	0.00%	[1]
BioTime Acquisition Corporation [Member]
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
BioTime Ownership (in hundredths)	96.70%	[2]

[1] LifeMap Sciences, Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of LifeMap Sciences, Inc.

[2] BioTime expects that its percentage ownership will be reduced to approximately 71.6% after Asterias issues common stock to BioTime and Geron Corporation pursuant to an Asset Contribution Agreement and sells common stock and warrants to a private investor for cash in a related transaction.