SUBSEQUENT EVENT (Details) (Subsequent event, Asset Contribution Agreement, USD $)	1 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013
SUBSEQUENT EVENT
Number of shares to be received	6,537,779
Percentage ownership interest in company acquiring stem cell assets upon closing under Asset Contribution Agreement	21.00%
Forecast
SUBSEQUENT EVENT
Potential ownership percentage of entity stockholders' in company acquiring stem cell assets after exercise of warrants owned by parent company.	19.00%
BioTime, Inc.
SUBSEQUENT EVENT
Amount of cash to be contributed under the Asset Contribution Agreement by parent company of company acquiring stem cell assets	5,000,000
Number of parent company shares to be contributed under the Asset Contribution Agreement by parent company of company acquiring stem cell assets	8,902,077
Term of the warrants to be issued under the Asset Contribution Agreement by parent company of company acquiring stem cell assets	5 years
Number of warrants to be issued under the Asset Contribution Agreement by parent company of company acquiring stem cell assets	8,000,000
Exercise price of the warrants to be issued under the Asset Contribution Agreement by parent company of company acquiring stem cell assets (in dollars per share)	5.00
Number of subsidiaries owned by the parent company of company acquiring stem cell assets	2
Number of shares of company acquiring stem cell assets to be issued to its parent company under the Asset Contribution Agreement	21,773,340
Term of the warrants to be issued under the Asset Contribution Agreement by the company acquiring stem cell assets to its parent company	3 years
Number of warrants to be issued under the Asset Contribution Agreement by the company acquiring stem cell assets to its parent company	3,150,000
Exercise price of the warrants to be issued under the Asset Contribution Agreement by the company acquiring stem cell assets to its parent company (in dollars per share)	5.00
Percentage ownership interest in company acquiring stem cell assets upon closing under Asset Contribution Agreement	72.00%
BioTime, Inc. | Forecast
SUBSEQUENT EVENT
Percentage increase in ownership of company acquiring stem cell assets by its parent company upon exercise of warrants	2.00%
Private Investor
SUBSEQUENT EVENT
Percentage ownership interest in company acquiring stem cell assets upon closing under Asset Contribution Agreement	7.00%
Amount of cash to be contributed by private investor to company acquiring stem cell assets	5,000,000