Note 17 - Acquisitions - Consideration (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	Sep. 01, 2021	May 03, 2021	Oct. 01, 2020	Mar. 19, 2021
BioLife stock price (in dollars per share)	$ 60.50	$ 35.07
BioLife shares outstanding (as of March 19, 2021) (in shares)				33,401,359
Sexton Acquisition [Member]
Merger consideration shares (in shares)	530,502
Value of issued shares	$ 32,095
plus: Fair value of BioLife’s existing investment in Sexton	7,951
less: Net working capital adjustment	(118)
Merger Consideration	39,928
Working capital adjustment	$ 118
SciSafe Holdings, Inc [Member]
Merger consideration shares (in shares)			611,683
Value of issued shares			$ 17,916
less: Net working capital adjustment			53
Merger Consideration			36,526
Cash consideration			15,000
Contingent consideration			3,663
Working capital adjustment			$ (53)
GCI Acquisition [Member]
Merger consideration shares (in shares)		6,636,470
Value of issued shares		$ 232,741
Merger Consideration		$ 234,909
Merger consideration percentage		19.90%
Merger consideration shares (in shares)		6,646,870
less: Merger consideration shares withheld to satisfy outstanding GCI stockholder obligations to GCI (in shares)		10,400
plus: Settlement of BioLife prepaid deposits		$ 2,152
plus: Net settlement of BioLife accounts receivable		$ 16