Resolution of Curvature Singularities in Higher Derivative Gravity
  We consider possible resolutions of singularities in a contracting anisotropic universe for a class of higher derivative gravity theories. We give evidence that for our models the big crunch singularity may be replaced by a nearly flat Minkowski-like phase before the Universe reenters an anisotropic expansion in a time-symmetric manner. 
Philipp H\"offer v. Loewenfeld and Ivo Sachs