Penicillin (discovery by Alexander Fleming in 1928) and other
antibiotics have saved a
huge number of lives. You've no doubt used some at home at some point.
Refrigeration (been around for more than a century but usage in the home only really started in the 1920s and took decades to become common) was another big leap since you could safely store food for long periods, an icebox doesn't work nearly so well. Much of the research money was spent employing scientists and engineers which directly benefited their family units. Your uncle's comment brings to my mind an image of a guy looking around and saying "Apart from a goodly chunk of everything I can see just what have we gotten out of this?"
