Wandering the halls of CES 2017 recently with video director William Joel, we were not only struck by how many different “breeds” of gadgets there are in the world, but also by just how many of those gadgets — particularly the robots and drones — seem to have unique personalities all their own. The wire and plexiglass that surrounded them made them look like wild animals in captivity.

I went to art college in Bristol in England, which is also home to the BBC Natural History Unit, renowned for producing spectacular nature documentaries The Blue Planet, Planet Earth, and Life on Earth, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. I grew up watching BBC wildlife documentaries like these and they have clearly left their mark.

And so the idea for Gadget Earth was born. Will and I bravely set off to explore the outer recesses and nether regions of CES, and the deserts of Nevada, in search of gadgets great and small. Our quest was to observe and record the behavior of gadgets both in the wild and in captivity, and to bring this fascinating journey of discovery to The Verge’s YouTube channel.

So relax and enjoy Gadget Earth — and Sir David, if you’re watching, I apologize unreservedly.