Stock Option Plans (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Total unrecognized compensation costs	$ 5,609,851
Weighted average recognition period	5 years 5 months 23 days
Weighted-average estimated fair value of stock options granted (in dollars per share)	$ 4.13	$ 4.13
Weighted-average assumptions [Abstract]
Expected life (in years)	6 years 8 months 5 days	6 years 4 months 6 days
Risk-free interest rates (in hundredths)	1.51%	1.06%
Volatility (in hundredths)	95.22%	98.88%
Dividend yield (in hundredths)	0.00%	0.00%
Number of Options Outstanding [Rollforward]
Exercised (in shares)		(98,541)
Weighted Average Exercise Price [Rollforward]
Exercised (in dollars per share)		$ 2.91
$0.50 [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Upper Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50
Number Outstanding (in shares)	1,970,400
Options Outstanding, Weighted Avg. Remaining Contractual Life	0 years 9 months 7 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50
Number Exercisable (in shares)	1,970,400
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50
2.30-8.58 [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Number Outstanding (in shares)	2,596,735
Options Outstanding, Weighted Avg. Remaining Contractual Life	4 years 10 months 10 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 4.39
Number Exercisable (in shares)	1,277,262
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 4.54
2.30-8.58 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Lower Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 2.30
2.30-8.58 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Upper Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 8.58
$0.50-$8.58 [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Number Outstanding (in shares)	4,567,135
Options Outstanding, Weighted Avg. Remaining Contractual Life	3 years 1 month 6 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 2.71
Number Exercisable (in shares)	3,247,662
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 2.09
$0.50-$8.58 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Lower Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 0.50
$0.50-$8.58 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Upper Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 8.58
0.003-$0.75 [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Number Outstanding (in shares)	5,256,226
Options Outstanding, Weighted Avg. Remaining Contractual Life	5 years 11 months 16 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 0.36
Number Exercisable (in shares)	4,089,035
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 0.35
0.003-$0.75 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Lower Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 0.003
0.003-$0.75 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Upper Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 0.75
1.00-1.75 [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Number Outstanding (in shares)	2,072,342
Options Outstanding, Weighted Avg. Remaining Contractual Life	5 years 10 months 10 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 1.57
Number Exercisable (in shares)	571,073
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 1.43
1.00-1.75 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Lower Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 1.00
1.00-1.75 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Upper Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 1.75
2.05 [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Upper Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 2.05
Number Outstanding (in shares)	4,080,000
Options Outstanding, Weighted Avg. Remaining Contractual Life	6 years 4 months 20 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 2.25
Number Exercisable (in shares)	1,294,062
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 2.16
27.00-42.02 [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Number Outstanding (in shares)	7,840
Options Outstanding, Weighted Avg. Remaining Contractual Life	6 years 9 months 18 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 37.35
Number Exercisable (in shares)	7,840
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 37.35
27.00-42.02 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Lower Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 27.00
27.00-42.02 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Upper Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 42.02
0.003-$42.02 [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Number Outstanding (in shares)	11,416,408
Options Outstanding, Weighted Avg. Remaining Contractual Life	6 years 1 month 6 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 1.28
Number Exercisable (in shares)	5,962,010
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in dollars per share)	$ 0.89
0.003-$42.02 [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Lower Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 0.003
0.003-$42.02 [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Range of Exercise Prices, Upper Range Limit (in dollars per share)	$ 42.02
2002 Plan and 2012 Plan [Member]
Options Available for Grant [Rollforward]
Beginning of the period (in shares)	3,745,000	1,303,193		1,842,168
Granted (in shares)	(1,585,000)
Exercised (in shares)	0	0		0
Forfeited/expired (in shares)				21,468
End of the period (in shares)	2,315,000	3,745,000		1,303,193
Number of Options Outstanding [Rollforward]
Outstanding, beginning of the period (in shares)	3,681,301	3,408,905		3,320,590
Granted (in shares)	1,585,000
Exercised (in shares)	(20,000)	(98,541)		(450,660)
Forfeited/expired (in shares)				(21,468)
Outstanding, end of the period (in shares)	4,567,135	3,681,301		3,408,905
Weighted Average Exercise Price [Rollforward]
Outstanding, beginning of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 1.96	$ 2.18		$ 1.13
Granted (in dollars per share)	$ 4.13
Exercised (in dollars per share)	$ 2.30	$ 2.91		$ 0.50
Forfeited/expired (in dollars per share)				$ 5.60
Outstanding end of the period (in dollars per share)	$ 2.71	$ 1.96		$ 2.18
2002 Plan [Member]
Options Available for Grant [Rollforward]
Granted (in shares)		(280,000)		(560,443)
Forfeited/expired (in shares)	0	0
Reduce options ungranted under 2002 Plan (in shares)		(1,023,193)	[1]
Number of Options Outstanding [Rollforward]
Granted (in shares)		280,000		560,443
Forfeited/expired (in shares)	(524,166)	(164,063)
Reduce options ungranted under 2002 Plan (in shares)		0	[1]
Weighted Average Exercise Price [Rollforward]
Granted (in dollars per share)		$ 4.75		$ 4.89
Forfeited/expired (in dollars per share)	$ 4.01	$ 5.60
Reduce options ungranted under 2002 Plan (in dollars per share)		$ 0	[1]
2012 Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common shares reserved for future issuance (in shares)	4,000,000
Period when options may not be granted or exercised	10 years
Options Available for Grant [Rollforward]
Granted (in shares)		(255,000)
Forfeited/expired (in shares)	155,000
Added by 2012 Plan (in shares)		4,000,000	[2]
Number of Options Outstanding [Rollforward]
Granted (in shares)		255,000
Forfeited/expired (in shares)	(155,000)
Added by 2012 Plan (in shares)		0	[2]
Weighted Average Exercise Price [Rollforward]
Granted (in dollars per share)		$ 3.45
Forfeited/expired (in dollars per share)	$ 4.18
Added by 2012 Plan (in dollars per share)		$ 0	[2]
OncoCyte, OrthoCyte and ReCyte Therapeutics stock option plans [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Authorize number of shares under stock option plan (in shares)				4,000,000
BioTime Asia stock option plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of options to purchase for employees (in shares)	4,500,000
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Authorize number of shares under stock option plan (in shares)	14,100
Cell Cure Neurosciences' option plan [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Authorize number of shares under stock option plan (in shares)	1,600
Granted under 2012 Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of options to purchase for employees (in shares)	4,000,000
Lifemap Stock Option Plan [Member]
Additional Information regarding options outstanding [Abstract]
Authorize number of shares under stock option plan (in shares)		8,000,000
Asterias Equity Incentive Plan [Member]
Number of Options Outstanding [Rollforward]
Granted (in shares)	50,000

[1] During September 2012, the 2002 Plan expired.

[2] During December 2012, the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan was approved by the BioTime Board of Directors making 4,000,000 common shares available for the grant of options. This plan was approved by the shareholders during October 2013.