Throughout evolution, qualia has come to animals, plants, and all beings, from the outside. Qualia has been the gift of ecosystem — the colors, sounds, smells, tastes and textures — which leads us to the matter we need for survival. We might say (and we shall) that consciousness was impressed upon life from the outside!
At some point, however, humans began to pay attention to qualia which came from inside. Instead of simply reacting to signs that came from the outer landscape, Homo sapiens began to react to conceptions which appeared in a new, inner landscape.
It has taken more than a few score millennia to realize that the power of ecosystems now flows directly through us. Ironic, isn’t it, that we are just realizing this now? But why should we be surprised — Mother Nature always provides gifts when things are falling apart. All life adapts to adversity by noticing her qualiadelic gifts. She has just saved her greatest gift for the last.