Abstracts: Soft robotics, biolocomotion, and commercial adhesives all rely on the contact mechanics of compliant solids. To isolate the essential physics underlying these diverse phenomena, we study the contact mechanics of a rigid sphere to a soft, sticky substrate. We measure the quasi-static deformation of the substrate as the sphere establishes contact and is pulled off. We find that the classic elastic theory of adhesion fails to describe our data. Counterintuitively, the solid deformation profiles are well-fit by predictions for surface-tensiondominated fluids. Currently, we are exploring the contribution of surface tension to the force generated by soft contacts. Our results may impact the design of functional systems that rely on soft contact.