Here's some coronavirus news that won't ruin your day

As coronavirus takes a stronger hold in highly populated countries like the U.S. with record breaking daily cases, the gap between countries with good responses and those with bad responses has become painfully clear. While the majority of Covid-19 related news you'll likely be reading this week will be focusing on these spikes, resurgences, re-openings, company closures and layoffs, in this edition I want to take a tour around some of the interesting and overall less depressing news you might have otherwise missed.

This is my socially distanced virtual hug to you.

Here goes.

? Space and environment

NASA, ESA, and JAXA space agencies have documented Covid-19's impact on economies and pollution from space and created a new publicly available dashboard.

In a video released along with the dashboard, Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate said, “The pandemic was not only leaving a staggering toll of human suffering. It was having a global impact that we could document from space.”

It's compelling and fascinating stuff. You can break down different categories to see the values of categories like greenhouse gasses.

The dashboard release comes as the clean air conditions around the world as a result of the pandemic could lead to revelations into our atmosphere and global warming. This while at the same time recognizing that certain instances of pollution around the likes of discarded masks and plastic making way into the oceans are actually increasing globally because of the pandemic. Alright, so the idea of increased pollution in our oceans isn't the most upbeat, but the action by space agencies and ability to study the impacts on air quality globally fits the bill.

? Robotics and health

Researchers in Denmark have developed a "swab robot" in only four weeks. If proven successful, it could help automate testing both reducing the amount of manpower needed to test as well as limiting exposure to coronavirus of healthcare professionals, which would also help reduce the need for more PPE.

? A.I. and entertainment

It might be time for actors to start worrying about their jobs as an A.I. robot has been cast in a lead role in a $70 million science fiction film called b. It will be the first film to rely on an artificially intelligent actor. The plot will center around "a scientist who discovers dangers associated with a program he created to perfect human DNA and helps the artificially intelligent woman he designed (Erica) escape."

Why is this related to Covid-19? An A.I. robotic actress isn't going to catch the virus and it certainly won't need to social distance or wear a mask. This likely won't change the world of Hollywood, but it is an interesting development that does pose the question of what would happen if A.I. got good enough to actually...act. A.I. is already being used extensively in CGI characters and gaming, but to cross into actual physical real life, the small problem of the uncanny valley still has to be crossed.

Still a ways to go, or at least they'll need a lot of CGI enhancement, unless we're talking about Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywaker. Pretty sure that was an A.I. robot.

? Convenience stores and insurance

7-Eleven has begun selling, wait for it, life insurance in Japan. Pop into a store to pick up some snacks, smokes, drinks or whatever and you can now get life insurance. Seems like a rando pairing, but perhaps not as much as you'd initially think on the surface. Convenience stores, like other segments of the economy and retail have been hit hard by the pandemic both in Japan and other countries as lockdowns and social distancing have kept customers out of the aisles. In partnering with MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, 7-Eleven is offering insurance at 20,000 stores across Japan and aims to net 60,000 new contracts by March 2021.

Now if 7-Eleven could do something to help with my self control and keeping me from walking down to get snacks all the time which would then lead me to consider buying life insurance as my risk of heart attack increases that would be fantastic.

? Social media and crocheting

In February, pop idol and sometimes decent actor Harry Styles (hey, he was pretty good in Dunkirk) wore this crocheted monstrosity at a concert.

(Photo: Getty Images)

As quarantined bored teens in the millions turned to social media and in this case TikTok during lockdowns, they also turned to creative crocheting with Mr. Styles as their inspiration. Thus proving that the right combination of events can always, always lead to unexpected outcomes. My colleague and partner in editorial Yunita Yong also took up crocheting, though I don't think Harry was her inspiration.

? Education and face masks

Teachers and education professionals face a very unique challenge when it comes to connecting with students during the pandemic. Some educators have come out to say teaching while wearing a mask can make bonding and relating to students difficult. Much like parenting, teachers are in a role where they're essentially the boss of young and impressionable minds. When you're wearing a mask, a lot of the emotion or context of what's being said or conveyed can be lost, leading to that loss of connection or relatability. Not only that, but consider teaching a language, where student often look at the mouth when figuring out how pronunciation.

There are potential solutions like wearing face shields but those aren't always available for every educator.

So until something like transparent face masks become more of a reality...

(PHOTO: EPFL / YouTube)

...teachers will muddle their way through and do what they've always done, work with and make the best of the likely inadequate resources they're given. Though because of innovations like the transparent masks, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

? Video games and Covid-19 relief

Riot Games, the makers of the popular and Esport staple League of Legends and newly released Valorant are selling League of Legends character skins and donating the proceeds to coronavirus relief. Riot says the medical-themed skins will be available through July 23rd and the proceeds will “directly support pandemic relief by giving doctors, nurses, and other frontline workers the resources they need to act quickly and protect those most vulnerable,”

Plus, the skins look pretty slick.

(PHOTOS: Riot Games / LOL)

I'd suit up in one of those in-game if I played LOL.

? Leadership and coronavirus

New research conducted by UK business school Instead surveyed 300 CEOs and determined three types of leaders have emerged during the coronavirus crisis: 'Keen', 'tough', and 'edgy'. 60 percent of which were labeled as "edgy" with 30 percent as "tough" and 10 percent as "keen".

If I were to visualize each category using only generic stock photography using the search terms "tough CEO", "keen CEO", and "edgy CEO", here's what they'd look like...

Tough CEO

Keen CEO

Edgy CEO

(All Photos: Getty Creative Images)

Thank God stock photography isn't real life.

Which kind of CEO boss are you, or do you work for?

That's it for today. Keep your collective chins up and keep at it. ??