If you are writing a paper, focus on :

This is the most popular way to experience a true 1:1 scale Earth. It uses mods to bypass Minecraft’s vertical height limits.

mod to generate accurate terrain, elevation, and roads based on Google Maps data. It is currently the largest Minecraft project in history. Ready-to-Play Maps: Sites like Minecraft Earth Map

Some SMP servers like EarthMC offer Earth-based maps, though they are usually at a smaller scale (1:500 or 1:1000) to keep gameplay manageable.