1. Empiricism: Science relies on observation and experimentation to gather evidence. This means scientists use their senses and tools to collect data from the real world, rather than relying on intuition, beliefs, or tradition.

2. Objectivity: Scientists strive to be objective in their observations and interpretations. They aim to minimize personal bias and preconceptions, and to focus on the evidence itself.

3. Testability: Scientific hypotheses and theories must be testable. This means they must be able to be supported or refuted by empirical evidence. If a claim cannot be tested, it is not considered scientific.

4. Falsifiability: A scientific theory is considered valid only if it can be proven false. This means that a theory must be able to be disproven by evidence.

5. Cumulative: Science builds upon itself. New discoveries and insights are incorporated into existing knowledge, leading to a gradual refinement and expansion of our understanding of the world.

6. Peer review: Scientific findings are subjected to scrutiny by other experts in the field through a process called peer review. This helps to ensure the quality and reliability of scientific research.

7. Skepticism: Scientists are skeptical of claims that lack evidence. They critically evaluate new ideas and theories before accepting them as true.

8. Openness to new ideas: Science is a constantly evolving field. Scientists are open to new ideas and theories, even if they challenge existing beliefs.

9. Publicly accessible: Scientific knowledge is shared with the wider community through publications, presentations, and other forms of communication.

10. Ethical considerations: Scientific research is guided by ethical principles that protect the well-being of human subjects, animals, and the environment.

These characteristics contribute to science's ability to generate reliable knowledge about the natural world, and to develop solutions to practical problems.