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Cosmic evolution in novel-Gauss Bonnet Gravity

In this short paper we investigate any non-trivial effect the novel Gauss-Bonnet gravity may give rise in the cosmic evolution of the Universe in four spacetime dimensions. We start by considering a generic Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) metric respecting homogeneity and isotropicity in arbitrary space-time dimension $D$. The metric depends on two functions: scale factor and lapse. Plugging this metric in novel Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (EGB) gravity action, doing an integration by parts and then take the limit of $D\to4$ give us a dynamical action in four spacetime dimensions for scale factor and lapse. The peculiar rescaling of Gauss-Bonnet coupling by factor of $D-4$ results in a non-trivial contribution in the action of the theory. In this paper we study this action. We investigate the dynamics of scale-factor and behavior of lapse in an empty Universe (no matter). Due to complexity of the problem we study the theory to first order in Gauss-Bonnet coupling and solve system of equation to the first order. We compute the first order correction to the on-shell action of the empty Universe and find that its sign is opposite of the leading order part. We discuss it consequences.