what caused the petrification in dr stone

The petrification in Dr. Stone was caused by the Medusa devices , advanced machine-like artifacts rather than a natural disaster. In the story’s later reveals, they’re tied to Why-Man and are used to turn living beings to stone, while also preserving them in a way that can eventually be reversed.

What that means

• The event was intentional , not accidental.

• The Medusas function like a petrification weapon.

• The story later suggests the devices were driven by their own logic and goals, including the idea of offering immortality through petrification.

In plain terms

At first, nobody knew what caused it, but the mystery is eventually linked to the Medusa network and the entity called Why-Man. That’s why the series treats petrification as both the central mystery and the main sci-fi threat.

Spoiler note

If you only wanted the basic answer: the Medusa devices did it.