The document discusses the history and uses of mapping and conformal mapping. It provides examples of some of the oldest known maps dating back to 6200 BC. It then discusses how conformal mapping originated from rejecting the idea that the Earth is flat, and how conformal mapping preserves angles to give a realistic view of the physical world on a map. Some key uses of conformal mapping mentioned are finding inverses of complex numbers, solving Laplace equations, and determining heat conduction.