New York City Mayor converts his pay to cryptocurrency, Starlink Satellites are photobombing astrophotographers, and Elon Musk’s brain implants want to move into human trials soon.

That’s the tech news that’s trending right now, welcome to Hashtag Trending. It’s Monday, January 24, and I’m your host, Tom Li.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said last week that he will be converting his first paycheque to cryptocurrency. He plans on converting his pay from U.S. dollars to Bitcoin and Ethereum through Coinbase, a crypto exchange in the U.S. Currently, the U.S. Department of Labour does not allow employees paid in crypto. Adam also plans on converting his next two paycheques into cryptocurrency as well. The news comes as Bitcoin dropped price dropped by four per cent on Saturday to its lowest price in six months.

Sometimes, one good thing comes at the cost of another. While many have been enjoying their Starlink satellite internet service, astrophotographers are complaining about the streaks they leave. A new study published in the American Astronomical Society noted their appearance in research photos. So far, they’ve discovered more than 5000 satellite streaks related to Starlink, and the frequency increased as SpaceX launched more satellites. Although masking technologies removes some of these blemishes, they may become unavoidable as more satellites go into space.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink, a startup that aims to use brain implant chips to treat neurological diseases, appears to be moving closer to human trials. The company recently opened a job listing for a clinical trial director, which is a pretty good indication that it wants to test it in humans. Elon Musk has previously told the Wall Street Journal that the brain implants would be ready in 2022. Given its novelty, however, this prediction sounds a little too optimistic. Musk also said that the implants have already allowed monkeys to play video games with their thoughts alone.

Former Olympic snowboarder Trevor Jacob is sinking in controversy after filming his escape from a supposedly stalled personal propeller plane. The video uploaded onto YouTube showed Jacob, who wore a parachute, leaping from his new propeller plane which had supposedly lost its engine. The video almost immediately drew skepticism from aviation enthusiasts. Some have posted detailed analyses of Jacob’s actions and claims, alleging that he staged the crash for views. The video and concerns from netizens have raised the interests of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which has launched an investigation into the incident.

That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash briefings or your Google Home daily briefing. Make sure to sign up for our Daily IT Wire newsletter to get all the news that matters directly in your inbox every day. Also, if you have a suggestion or a tip, drop us a line in the comments or via email. Thank you for listening, I’m Tom Li.