Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
REVENUES:
Grant revenue	$ 1,666,000	$ 3,671,000	$ 4,502,000
Royalties from product sales and license fees	389,000	544,000	719,000
Subscription and advertisement revenues	1,395,000	972,000	1,357,000
Sale of research products and services	8,000	736,000	458,000
Total revenues	3,458,000	5,923,000	7,036,000
Cost of sales	(168,000)	(358,000)	(1,107,000)
Gross profit	3,290,000	5,565,000	5,929,000
OPERATING EXPENSES:
Research and development	(24,024,000)	(36,106,000)	(42,604,000)
General and administrative	(19,922,000)	(28,426,000)	(29,134,000)
Total operating expenses	(43,946,000)	(64,532,000)	(71,738,000)
Gain on sale of assets	1,754,000
Loss from operations	(38,902,000)	(58,967,000)	(65,809,000)
OTHER INCOME/(EXPENSES):
Interest expense, net	(692,000)	(747,000)	(340,000)
BioTime’s share of losses and impairment in equity method investment in Ascendance		(4,671,000)	(35,000)
Loss on extinguishment of related party convertible debt	(2,799,000)
Gain on investment			3,694,000
Other income/(expense), net	1,449,000	(403,000)	(160,000)
Total other income, net	15,613,000	77,588,000	3,159,000
INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAX BENEFIT	(23,289,000)	18,621,000	(62,650,000)
Deferred income tax benefit			4,516,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(23,289,000)	18,621,000	(58,134,000)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	3,313,000	14,951,000	11,143,000
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO BIOTIME, INC.	(19,976,000)	33,572,000	(46,991,000)
Dividends on preferred shares			(415,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS) ATTRIBUTABLE TO BIOTIME, INC. COMMON SHAREHOLDERS	$ (19,976,000)	$ 33,572,000	$ (47,406,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE:
BASIC	$ (0.17)	$ 0.35	$ (0.59)
DILUTED	$ (0.17)	$ 0.34	$ (0.59)
WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING:
BASIC	114,476,000	97,316,000	79,711,000
DILUTED	114,476,000	99,553,000	79,711,000
OncoCyte Corporation [Member]
OTHER INCOME/(EXPENSES):
Gain on deconsolidation	$ 71,697,000
Gain (loss) on equity method investment at fair value	(2,935,000)
Asterias Biotherapeutics [Member]
OTHER INCOME/(EXPENSES):
Gain on deconsolidation		49,048,000
Gain (loss) on equity method investment at fair value	$ (51,107,000)	$ 34,361,000