Cosmological Time Crystals from Gauss-Bonnet Gravity in Four Dimensions

We investigate various cosmological aspects of a 4-Dimensional Gauss-Bonnet Lagrangian, which is integrated into the Einstein Lagrangian with an arbitrary sign, using the Friedman-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric. We consider a general potential term, $V(a)$, that depends on the scale factor $a$, and we analyze several scenarios by investigating the critical points of the dynamical equations and stability conditions to understand how the universe's behavior is affected by the Gauss-Bonnet term. Our research suggests that choosing the negative sign, this integration allows for the spontaneous breaking of time reflection symmetry. This can lead to the generation of a bounce universe even with a normal matter sector, marking a significant departure from traditional theories. Furthermore, we examine the possibility of a time-crystal universe, showing that under certain circumstances, the theory might give rise to cyclic universes.