<P> The Cybermen have seen many redesigns and costume changes over Doctor Who 's long run . Over the years , the show and its many spin - offs in other media have also presented a number of varying origin stories for the species . In their first appearance , The Tenth Planet ( 1966 ) , they are explained as being the product of humans from Earth 's nearly identical `` twin planet '' of Mondas who upgraded themselves into cyborgs in a bid for self - preservation . Forty years later , `` The Age of Steel '' ( 2006 ) depicted the Cybermen 's separate emergence on a parallel universe version of Earth . Doctor Who audio dramas , novels , and comic books have also elaborated on the origins for the Cybermen , or presented alternative origin stories . </P>
when did cybermen first appear in doctor who
The Tenth Planet ( 1966 )