Equity, Warrants and Options (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
OncoCyte, OrthoCyte, ReCyte Therapeutics, Cell Cure Neurosciences, LifeMap and BioTime Asia [Member]
Options Available for Grant [Rollforward]
Beginning of the period (in shares)	6,041,556	11,218,060	7,703,060
Added upon adoption of option plan (in shares)			8,000,000
Reverse stock split and change in plan (in shares)		(3,697,014)
Increase option pool (in shares)	500,000
Granted (in shares)	(4,434,995)	(1,479,490)	(4,685,000)
Forfeited/Exercised (in shares)	785,000	0	200,000
End of the period (in shares)	2,891,561	6,041,556	11,218,060
Number of Options Outstanding [Rollforward]
Outstanding, beginning of the period (in shares)	7,816,413	8,797,640	4,312,640
Added upon adoption of option plan (in shares)			0
Reverse stock split and change in plan (in shares)		(2,460,717)
Increase option pool (in shares)	0
Granted (in shares)	4,434,995	1,479,490	4,685,000
Forfeited/Exercised (in shares)	(785,000)	0	(200,000)
Outstanding, end of the period (in shares)	11,466,408	7,816,413	8,797,640
Weighted Average Exercise Price [Rollforward]
Outstanding, beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 0.93	$ 0.56	$ 0.74
Added upon adoption of option plan (in dollars per shares)			$ 0
Reverse stock split and change in plan (in dollars per share)		$ 0
Increase option pool (in dollars per share)	$ 0
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 2.11	$ 1.39	$ 0.36
Forfeited/Exercised (in dollars per share)	$ 1.95	$ 0	$ 0.05
Outstanding end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 1.32	$ 0.93	$ 0.56
Warrant [Member]
Numbers of Warrants [Roll Forward]
Warrants Outstanding Beginning Balance (in shares)	556,613	636,613	649,000
Granted (in shares)	9,195,002		206,613
Exercised (in shares)			(219,000)
Expired (in shares)		(80,000)
Warrants Outstanding Ending Balance (in shares)	9,751,615	556,613	636,613
Per share exercise price [Abstract]
Outstanding Beginning Balance (in dollars per share)	$ 10.00
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 5.00		$ 10.00
Expired (in dollars per share)		$ 3.00
Outstanding Ending Balance (in dollars per share)		$ 10.00
Weighted Average Exercise Price [Abstract]
Outstanding Beginning Balance (in dollars per share)	$ 10.00	$ 9.13	$ 6.42
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 5.00		$ 10.00
Exercised (in dollars per share)			$ 1.94
Expired (in dollars per share)		$ 3.00
Outstanding Ending Balance(in dollars per share)	$ 5.29	$ 10.00	$ 9.13
Weighted average remaining contractual life	0 years 3 months 25 days	1 year 3 months 25 days	1 year 8 months 5 days
Warrant [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Per share exercise price [Abstract]
Outstanding Beginning Balance (in dollars per share)			$ 0.68
Exercised (in dollars per share)			$ 0.68
Outstanding Ending Balance (in dollars per share)	$ 5.00		$ 3.00
Warrant [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Per share exercise price [Abstract]
Outstanding Beginning Balance (in dollars per share)			$ 10.00
Exercised (in dollars per share)			$ 3.00
Outstanding Ending Balance (in dollars per share)	$ 10.00		$ 10.00