Question

What is required before a hypothesis advances to the status of a scientific theory ?

Answer 1

The hypothesis has to survive all attacks on it and continue to provide the best known explanation of the known data. In the scientific method, there are several steps towards the creation of a hypothesis and eventually a theory.
 1. Gather data. 
 2. Construct a hypothesis that explains the data. This hypothesis should be capable of being disproved and should be capable of making predictions.
 3. Gather more data. DO NOT cherry pick only that data which supports the hypothesis . If data is uncovered that contradicts the hypothesis , revise or replace the hypothesis.
 4. After the hypothesis has survived all attacks on it and is the best known explanation of the data, then it becomes a theory.
 5. Note, data collection continues after the hypothesis became a theory and if new data is discovered that is in conflict with the theory, then the theory is modified, or discarded in favor of a new hypothesis or theory.