The Unarius Academy of Science (Unarius stands for Universal Articulate Interdimensional Understanding of Science) was founded in 1954, just four years after L. Ron Hubbard published his manifesto on Scientology, by two self-described cosmic visionaries, Ruth E. and Ernest L. Norman. The nonprofit educational foundation claims to teach a comprehensive curriculum of self-mastery that is based on the meshing of science and spirit, of understanding the power of universal energy and fourth dimensions physical properties.

One of the foundation's most popular courses is "Past Life Therapy," in which people are said to experience previous life encounters through a directed study of consciousness.

The founders have written a series of books that they say were channeled through them by advanced intelligent beings that exist around us on higher frequency planes.

Based on their teachings, Unarians believe in immortality of the soul, hence the past lives. They branch off a little further from the mainstream with their belief that our solar system was previously inhabited by ancient interplanetary civilizations. One of Ernest Norman's books claims that the people of China evolved from a group that colonized Mars a million years ago, came to Earth and have since returned to Mars to live in underground cities.

The organization thrived while the two founders ran it, until 1994. Since, its membership has dwindled. The Unarius Academy of Science took a major hit in 2001, when a prophecy failed to come true: The Unarians eagerly awaited the arrival of 33 huge galactic Ships of the Federation to take them away.

Unarius is headquartered in El Cajon, California, but has outposts in Canada, Nigeria, Japan and several other locations throughout the United States.