Note 9 - Investments (Details Textual) - USD ($)			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		May 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Dow Corning Corporation [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage		50.00%
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee, Cumulative Percentage Ownership after All Transactions		100.00%
Equity Method Investments	[1]		$ 0		$ 0		$ 1,483,000,000
HSC Operating Partnernship [Member] | HSG [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage			80.50%		80.50%
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Actuarial Gain (Loss)					$ (260,000,000)
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain, before Tax					45,000,000
Equity Method Investments		$ 4,800,000,000	$ 285,000,000		285,000,000		$ 1,905,000,000
Removal of Carrying Value of Equity Method Investment		$ 383,000,000			383,000,000
Release of Deferred Tax Liabilities					105,000,000
Realignment of Equity Investment, Gain (Loss)				$ 0	$ 2,676,000,000	$ 0

[1] Amounts reflect Corning's direct ownership interests in the respective affiliated companies at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015. Corning does not control any of such entities.