Primordial oocytes are the resting state of mammalian female germ cells. They are established during fetal development and in humans survive in the ovary for decades. During their long lives, primordial oocytes must retain the ability to activate and mature into a fertilizable egg. Oocytes are thus among the longest-lived cells in the body and yet are uniquely responsible for producing offspring — a phenomenon that has long fascinated scientists. One such scientist was Arthur T. Hertig, a gynaecological pathologist active between 1930 and 1989. Among his peers, Hertig was famous for his meticulous studies of the human reproductive system; two examples of his careful studies on human oocytes were published in the 1960s (Hertig and Adams, 1967; Hertig, 1968).