When an animal (or a plant) senses qualia – color, sound, smell, etc – it reacts. Qualia is either good or bad, attractive or aversive. It might spark curiousity about an unknown, but unknowns in the animal world are mostly ignored. 

People are not much different than animals (obvious, I know), reacting without much reflection, generally incurious about the unknown. 

Such a shame because we are so capable of feeling out and pursuing the nuances of qualia, familiar or not. 

Imagination is a blessing that makes us curious about unknowns. Should we use it for wonder instead of fear we can set ourselves free again.