  A method to polarize channels universally is introduced. The method is based
on combining two distinct channels in each polarization step, as opposed to
Arikan's original method of combining identical channels. This creates an equal
number of only two types of channels, one of which becomes progressively better
as the other becomes worse. The locations of the good polarized channels are
independent of the underlying channel, guaranteeing universality. Polarizing
the good channels further with Arikan's method results in universal polar codes
of rate 1/2. The method is generalized to construct codes of arbitrary rates.
  It is also shown that the less noisy ordering of channels is preserved under
polarization, and thus a good polar code for a given channel will perform well
over a less noisy one.
