Since the beginning of human civilization, people have apparently been fascinated with the reflection of light from surfaces. The creation of shiny surfaces extends from 4,000 B.C., when Neolithic farmers in ancient China polished jade objects, to the present day where modern polishing techniques are key to creating flat surfaces in the fabrication of electronic microcomponents. The question we are posing here is how does one determine when high technology was introduced in the process of polishing? Recently, Peter Lu, Nan Yao, Jenny So, George Harlow, Jianfang Lu, Genfu Wang, and Paul Chaikin offered an answer to this question. Interestingly, microscopes were used to provide the answer.