The term Digital Twin of the Earth creates the idea of the availability of a highly accurate virtual copy of our planet, enabling researchers to predict the most complex future climate developments and extreme natural events. In fact, such a replica – or model representation of the Earth systems – is the goal of the Destination Earth project, funded by the European Union. In an article published in Socio-Environmental Systems Modelling, Professor Robert Reinecke of Mainz University and his co-authors point out the lack of a clear definition of the term "Digital Twin of the Earth", which may be misleading. "All digital representations of our planet are model representations. As such, they will always be detached from reality – as a map can never fully replicate the land it depicts," said Reinecke.